ZLATAN IBRAHIMOVIC roared back into life at Manchester United after his long-term knee injury in November, scoring on his first start against Bristol City.
Yet just over two months later, he looks set to slink away from Old Trafford.
He told MUTV last year: “I told you, lions don’t recover like humans. That I have now proved, rather than just saying it.”
Yet, this big cat has played just 103 league minutes this season and appears to be heading for the exit door.
Zlatan is set to move to America to join LA Galaxy, so we asked our friends at Football Whispers to look at how Jose Mourinho will replace the Swede.
With 28 goals in 46 games, there was no doubt who was the main man at Old Trafford last season.
Ibrahimovic proved his doubters wrong by setting the Premier League alight as United won the EFL Cup, the Europa League and the Community Shield.
His injury in April was a massive blow, with United losing their talisman.
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Yet less than a year later he’s on his way out. And his departure will not cause the Red Devils a big problem.
“I see Zlatan as important for the team,” Jose Mourinho said last year.
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“I just say that my squad is better for sure, he is one more option, he is one more striker, he is one more experienced player, he is one more player that can play nine or ten, that can play double strikers or no, there are lots of matches to play.”
Despite these comments, the 36-year-old has made just one Premier League start this season, largely because of injury.
But what will hurt Ibrahimovic is that United are arguably a better side without him.
The Red Devils are currently in second in the table compared to their fifth place finish last year.
The signs that United had moved on from Zlatan were there in the summer.
He was out of contract when the Manchester giants splashed out on Romelu Lukaku, bringing in the Belgian from Everton for £75million.
Not only did Lukaku take Ibrahimovic’s place as United’s main striker, symbolically, he took his No9 shirt too.
Despite the former Paris Saint-Germain man’s quality, at 36, he was never going to be able to compete with a striker like Lukaku for the main starting spot at a club with title ambitions.
And when Lukaku doesn’t start, there are a number of other options who can play the No9 role for the Manchester side.
The first of these is Alexis Sanchez, who’s now become the highest paid player in the Premier League on £500,000-a-week wages since his move from Arsenal.
He can play up front, or anywhere off the forward, and his big wages mean he is surely to take the mantle as the big name at an even bigger club.
Another player on United’s books who could fill the role of striker is Marcus Rashford, who played there against Yeovil.
The 20-year-old has often been used out wide in the Premier League this term but he is a natural striker.
One that is capable of causing the best defences problems, as he did last season against Chelsea.
Indeed, that No9 role is one his national team manager Gareth Southgate believes he will make his own in the future.
“Who knows what his best position will be in the end? We all have a feel that it will be as a nine but he is a player that can beat players from wide areas,” said the England boss back in June.
“I don’t see [his versatility] as a problem at this stage.”
If Sanchez and Rashford aren’t seen as the man to take the striking role when Lukaku is out, perhaps that responsibility could also fall to Anthony Martial.
Back in 2015, the France international said he preferred a more central role when asked by then manager Louis van Gaal.
“He (van Gaal) asked me my preferred position,” Martial said back in 2015.
“I prefer to play in the centre but he told me I could play in a number of positions – it is the coach who decides but whatever position I play, I will do the best I can.”
Since he’s been at Old Trafford, the former Monaco man has largely been a winger, but his pace and finishing ability mean he would suit a role leading the team up front too.
The versatility of those three will mean Mourinho is unlikely to dip into the transfer market before the deadline shuts on Wednesday to replace Ibrahimovic.
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Gareth Bale and Antoine Griezmann had been mooted Manchester United transfer targets, but both moves seem very unlikely.
The Welshman is now back playing in the Real Madrid first team after a long spell out of injury, and with Los Blancos struggling in the league, they won’t want to sell any of their key men.
The Atletico Madrid man, meanwhile, has also quashed any transfer talk, pledging to stay at the Wanda Metropolitan until the end of the season.
“I’m fine,” he said after Atleti’s win over Las Palmas when asked about his future. “I started the year well and I hope I can continue like that; with goals and hard work.”
The situation for both may change in the summer and Mourinho may be tempted to strengthen his frontline.
But for the time being, it looks like he’ll make do with the impressive attacking resources he currently has at Old Trafford despite Ibrahimovic’s pending departure.
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