Manchester United

Zlatan Ibrahimovic hints at new Manchester United role

By Barney Corkhill, Editor | 16 November 2017

Manchester United striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic suggests that he will play as more of a number 10 once he returns from his long-term knee injury.

Manchester United striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic has suggested that he will feature in a number 10 role once he makes his return from a long-term injury.

The 36-year-old has been sidelined since April after damaging his knee ligaments, but still ended last season as the club's leading scorer having featured as their main striker throughout the campaign.

However, the Swede's number nine shirt has since been given to Romelu Lukaku whereas he has inherited the number 10 shirt from Wayne Rooney, but he insists that he has always considered himself a traditional number 10 rather than an out-and-out centre-forward.

"To me, number 10 is the star. The one who makes the difference, gets noticed, wins the matches and is the leader. And I see myself in that position but it is not something that is given to you, it is just something you are, that's just the way it is," he said in a video for Volvo.

"To be honest, it is like a trigger for me coming back from that injury. Because I wore the number 10 on the Swedish national team and PSG. I would have worn it at Inter but I soon moved to Barcelona.

"I wanted it in Milan but took another number out of respect. In Ajax I didn't have it. I feel like a 10 and I stand for number 10. It will go down in history that I always had number 10."

Reports have claimed that Ibrahimovic could be fit to feature in Saturday's Premier League clash with Newcastle United, and manager Jose Mourinho has confirmed that the veteran striker will be back in action before the end of the year.