The mercurial Zlatan Ibrahimovic confirmed yesterday that he will leave PSG at the end of current season and he is eyeing a move to Premier League next summer. The 34-year forward has scored 38 goals this season, and presents a good value for money for whichever team he signs for.
At present, Arsenal, Chelsea, AC Milan and West Ham are in the running for Swed’s signature, but Manchester United are rightly desperate for Zlatan’s signing. The Red Devils need a signing like Ibrahimovic to lift the damp mood at Old Trafford.
As summer transfer window slowly edges closer, we take a look at five reasons why Manchester United must sign Zlatan Ibrahimovic next season.
Zlatan is a serial winner
Talk all you want about Ibrahimovic’s failure of winning a Champions League medal, but the man surely knows how to win league titles. In his 15 seasons as a professional player, he has won 13 league titles with his last failure coming in 2011/12 after an 8-year gap.
Man United would fans would do anything for a player like Ibrahimovic to join them next summer and guide the club out of the current travesty.
Goals, goals and just goals
In a way, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and goals are synonym to each other. Ibra has scored 38 goals in as many appearances this season with 27 of them coming in Ligue 1. On the other hand, United have found goal-scoring tougher than anything else this season.
Signing Ibrahimovic would present the ideal platform for The Red Devils to kick-on next season and reinstate their fallen position in Premier League.
Ibrahimovic’s relationship with Mourinho
Zlatan has made no secret of how he is eager to work with Jose Mourinho in near future. According to reports, The Special One has his bags packed and ready to Old Trafford. And if Mourinho was to bring Ibra with him, it would be the best way to kick-start his Man United career.
Perfect mentor for Anthony Martial
Manchester United have relied heavily on the exploits of their 20-year old striker this season, something Zlatan is all so familiar with. Back in his Juventus days, Zlatan was Bianconeri’s leading striker at the age of 22.
Ibrahimovic can groom Anthony Martial to go on and achieve the potential he has shown in his first 6 months at Manchester United. Under Zlatan’s guidance, the young forward can only get better and better.
The Eric Cantona effect
Back in the day when Sir Alex Ferguson failed to muster a top class United side, he went ahead and bought the mercurial Eric Cantona from Leeds United. In the end, it proved to be a history-changing decision for the club, manager and for Cantona as well.
Zlatan in many ways is a similar player like Cantona, who can influence big games and carries an aura about himself. He would end up hogging the limelight if he signs for the club, but then, who does not want to see Zlatan in front of the cameras?
Image Credit: Getty, BRSport