Manchester United forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic has admitted that a desire to end his playing career on his own terms meant that retirement was not an option in the summer
In April, there were question marks over the future of Ibrahimovic after he sustained a serious knee injury in a Europa League fixture with Anderlecht, but United announced in August that they had handed a new one-year deal to the Swede.
Ibrahimovic is currently scheduled to make a return at the end of 2017, months after the veteran started to "challenge" his body to help him prolong his playing days.
The 36-year-old told Sky Sports News: "In that moment when it happened, it was easier for me to say that I would come back because then I had a challenge. The challenge was that I never had a major injury, and all these people talking that 'it's over' or 'he's too old', all these doubts that I had in my whole career.
"When that happens, it triggers me because it gives me energy and an objective. I'm challenging what I am able to do, how far I can take my body. In the last years, when you're thinking how many more years you are going to play, that is where you are hesitating.
"But the injury made it easy for me. I had one target, and that is to come back and play the game. I will walk out just as I came in, I will not walk out limping."
Ibrahimovic scored 28 goals in 46 appearances in all competitions last season.
Darren Plant
