Manchester United open talks with Zlatan Ibrahimovic over new contract

Manchester United have opened talks with Zlatan Ibrahimovic over a new deal, as the Swede continues his rehabilitation from a serious knee injury.

The 35-year-old arrived at Old Trafford as a free agent last summer and enjoyed an excellent debut season in England, scoring 17 goals in the Premier League and netting 28 times in all competitions.

The former Paris Saint-Germain striker played a pivotal role as United won the EFL Cup and the Europa League, despite missing the final two months of the campaign after rupturing his cruciate ligament against Anderlecht in April.

Ibrahimovic was released at the end of the season but has been using United's Carrington AON training complex as he continues his recovery and, according to the Daily Mail, he has begun negotiations with the club over a new deal. While Ibrahimovic will not be fit for another couple of months, he is a free agent, which means he could join United at any stage during the season.

AC Milan and Los Angeles Galaxy have both been linked with a move for the former Sweden captain though it appears that the attraction of playing under Mourinho again is too great a temptation.

Speaking ahead of the Super Cup final defeat to Real Madrid in Skopje, Mourinho indicated he was "closer" to joining United, amid interest from Serie A and MLS clubs. "Maybe he'll stay with us," the two-time European Cup winner stated. "He's not got a contract, but he's still close to Manchester, and the fact we are involved in the Super Cup now is also his merit."

United have signed Romelu Lukaku from Everton for £75m but Mourinho is eager to add experience and depth to his squad, as United return to the Champions League for the first time since the 2015-16 season.

Aside from Lukaku, Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial are the only two strikers at the Portuguese's disposal, after Wayne Rooney moved to Everton last month.

While Rashford and Martial were largely deployed in wide roles last term, during United's pre-season tour in the US Mourinho opted to field a 3-5-2 formation, with Rashford up-front alongside Lukaku, but the Belgian was United's lone striker in their 2-1 defeat against Real Madrid on Tuesday.

The United manager has repeatedly reiterated his desire to bring in at least one more signing before the end of the transfer window, with the 20-times champions of England understood to be set to revive a move for Inter Milan's winger Ivan Perisic after Mourinho admitted Gareth Bale will remain at Real Madrid.

Mourinho had stated he would "fight" to sign the 27-year-old had he been omitted from Zinedine Zidane's team to face his Europa League winners but Bale started ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo and played 74 minutes in Macedonia as Real retained the Super Cup with a 2-1 win over United.

"I think so." the Portuguese boss told BT Sport when asked about whether a move for Bale was dead. "I think clearly the club want him, the manager wants him and he wants the club. So for me, game over. Even before it started.