Zlatan Ibrahimovic closing in on LA Galaxy move, Jose Mourinho open to transfer
KEY POINTS
- Ibrahimovic has not played for Manchester United since Boxing Day last year.
- The 36-year-old is out of contract at the end of the season.
- Mourinho is willing to allow Ibrahimovic leave the club.
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Zlatan Ibrahimovic could have played his last game for Manchester United as he closes in on a move to LA Galaxy in the Major League Soccer (MLS).
The 36-year-old striker has not played for the Red Devils since suffering a recurrence of his knee injury on Boxing Day that kept him out for over seven months in last year. His last appearance for United was against Burnley in the Premier League on 26 December 2017.
Ibrahimovic is expected to return to training at the start of February, but the extent of his injury remains unclear. He is currently said to be in the US undergoing rehabilitation ahead of his return to action.
According to the Daily Mail, via French publication L'Equipe, the former Sweden international will not play for United again as he is close to finalising a move to LA Galaxy in the MLS. The report claims that the striker has already agreed a dea,l with the contract said to have been signed three weeks ago.
Ibrahimovic is in the final six-months of his contract with the 20-time English champions and is allowed to discuss pre-contracts with clubs outside England. He can leave on a free transfer in the summer, or for a fee before the end of the January transfer window on Wednesday (31 January).
Jose Mourinho has admitted that the club will allow the Swedish forward to leave the club this month, but made it clear that the final decision rests with Ibrahimovic. The Portuguese coach is well stocked in the forward department following the recent acquisition of Alexis Sanchez and will not be left short changed by the 36-year-old's departure.
"Zlatan is in the last year of his contract. I repeat, he has said nothing about it to me," Mourinho said. "But if it is true and Zlatan wants a future in another club in another country then we are here to help and create conditions for that to happen, not to make his life difficult.
"But the last thing Zlatan told me, he was to recover totally and help the team. That was the last thing I heard from him."
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