Zlatan Ibrahimovic named Premier League signing of the season by ex-Manchester United star

Manchester United striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic has been the signing of the Premier League season so far, according to Owen Hargreaves. The 35-year-old pundit has hailed the impact of the record-breaking Swede, who has made a strong start to life in English football since joining United on a free transfer.

A number of high-profile players joined the league in 2016, including İlkay Gundogan, David Luiz and Paul Pogba, who switched to United in a world-record £89m ($109.3m) deal from Juventus. But Hargreaves thinks that because of his world-class reputation and the fact that he was free, Ibrahimovic is the stand-out summer transfer.

"The signing of the season by far has been Zlatan Ibrahimovic," the ex-United midfielder told BT Sport. "To get him on a free transfer – and a player of that quality. I wouldn't like to know where Manchester United would be without Zlatan Ibrahimovic."

Ibrahimovic has scored six times since his transfer to United this summer, and Jose Mourinho has admitted to being thrilled with the 35-year-old striker's impact at Old Trafford. He said, too, that he was delighted to have been reunited with Ibrahimovic, having previously coached the Swede while at Inter Milan in 2008/09.

"I'm really happy. He's giving us exactly what we need from him," said Mourinho of Sweden's all-time top goalscorer, according to The Mirror. "It's quite beautiful for me to meet him five or six years later [after they worked together at Inter Milan] and to find the same ambition, passion and desire to play, desire to compete. I couldn't be happier.

"The guy is really fit. He's always ready to play. I couldn't be happier in terms of his influence in the dressing room. Obviously he's somebody that the young guys look at and what they see is great for them."