The winners and losers of Man Utd re-signing Zlatan Ibrahimovic

By  Muhammad Butt   AUG 22, 2017

 

Just a few months after tearing his cruciate ligaments in the Europa League semi-final, Zlatan Ibrahimovic is on the verge of returning to Manchester United.

This is a stunning comeback, even by a player as impossibly athletic as Zlatan. Cruciate ligament injuries can still take a player out of action for several months, and leave them looking a shadow of themselves afterwards.

Not Ibrahimovic, though. The titanic Swede is already out there doing martial arts training and chasing after Eric Bailly. And even though his contract was terminated in the summer, his comfort and happiness at playing for Manchester United means he will likely re-sign.

But who would be the winners and losers of such a deal? Squawka investigates!

Winner: José Mourinho

The most obvious winner here is José Mourinho. The Portuguese coach has long vocalised a great love and respect of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, managing him at two different clubs to trophy success. Mourinho and Zlatan share a similar sense of rugged masculinity, an old-school “manly men” approach to life.

More than just being similarly driven competitors with an overly macho sensibility, Ibrahimovic is actually an ideal kind of forward for Mourinho. He’s a vastly experienced professional with years of playing at winning at the highest level.

Moreover he’s physically incredible, standing 6’5 and with enough physical power to benchpress that Barcelona midfield from 2011. And he fits right into the squad as a veteran back-up, a huge presence to bring off the bench or start against lesser sides. If Zlatan re-signs, Mourinho will be dancing.

Loser: Pep Guardiola

Guardiola’s Manchester City are likely to be the main challengers to Mourinho’s Manchester United this coming season. And while City have a big hole in their defence, United’s squad only has one weakness and it’s the lack of reliable depth up-front.

Ibrahimovic’s arrival fixes that issue, as the giant Swede would be an incisive back-up to Romelu Lukaku. This is bad news for Guardiola as it gives United an even greater chance to win the Title and a direct chance for Zlatan Ibrahimovic to beat Guardiola head-to-head (something he failed to do since his split with the Catalan after one year at Barcelona).

Winner: Romelu Lukaku

Lukaku is a winner here for two reasons. The first is obvious; as the side’s lone star striker, there’s a lot of pressure on him to not only score an avalanche of goals but also not get injured. United desperately need him to stay fit, lest they find themselves relying on a teenage striker (probably a recurring nightmare Mourinho has).

Zlatan Ibrahimovic gives Lukaku much-needed back-up, but more than that, some guidance. Lukaku is 24 and obviously a fantastic striker in his own right, but his record in big games isn’t the greatest. Nor does he have much pedigree in terms of delivering titles. In this regard, Zlatan is an expert and could offer some incredible mentoring to the young Belgian.

Loser: Marcus Rashford

While Lukaku wins, Marcus Rashford loses. Why? Simply put, he’s already the club’s second-choice striker. Sure he’s getting minutes on the left, but that’s not his favoured (nor his best) position. He wants to play up-front. Zlatan’s arrival makes Rashford’s aims much harder to achieve because the Swede is now the back-up striker, and if Mourinho does try to play a two-man strikeforce, then surely Ibrahimovic will be the man chosen to partner the Belgian.

Winner: Paul Pogba

Paul Pogba was only the world’s most expensive player for one year, but it was a superb year he shared with Zlatan Ibrahimovic. The veteran and the youngster formed an immediate bond, with their magnetic charisma and martial arts prowess making them seem more like the stars of a quirky buddy comedy about ninja assassins than footballers.

The return of Ibrahimovic means nothing but good things for Pogba. It’s another winner in the dressing room, another big personality to bounce off the walls with, to help Pogba carve and sculpt a monumental Manchester United side that fears no man and conquers all before it.

Loser: Milan

It’s unlikely but Milan had harboured genuine hopes of bringing Zlatan Ibrahimovic back to the San Siro. While it would have been at odds with their transfer business this summer, which has all been forward-thinking and very football-first, there’s no doubt it’d be a huge coup.

“I don’t know, [Mino Raiola] had a meeting with [director Massimiliano] Mirabelli, not with me. He will have talked about his clients and their future,” said Rossoneri CEO Marco Fassone, hinting that Ibrahimovic’s agent was looking to make something happen.

Zlatan is a world-class superstar with an enormous media and marketing profile, he’d be ideal for Milan as they look to re-establish their winning mentality and return to the top table of European football (much as he just did for Manchester United).

Winner: The Premier League

With Zlatan’s brand strength and massive media profile, how could the Premier League not welcome his return? He may not longer be the world-class footballing force he used to be, but he’s still good enough to massively impact the Premier League both in terms of marketing and also, you know, on the field.

Loser: The MLS

Last year, the presumed destination of Zlatan Ibrahimovic after his year in Manchester was the MLS. When he did his cruciate ligaments and his scheduled return date (January 2018) lined up perfectly with the American pre-season, the MLS theory only strengthened.

The idea of Zlatan seeing out his golden years in Hollywood was just the obvious move. Well, stoked by the competitive fires and the positive vibe he found in the United dressing room, Zlatan is willing to put that off for a further six months (at the least) in order to play for Manchester United.

This not only denies the MLS their biggest superstar ever, but it also denigrates their league’s reputation as Zlatan refuses to head there until he#s had his fill of genuine competition.