Sidney Sladen
Manchester United star Zlatan Ibrahimovic is set to stay at the club until 2019. Ibra currently has an option in his contract to extend his stay by one more year. But sources close to the player have revealed that he might well stay at Old Trafford beyond next season as well. According to The Daily Mail, the £220,000-a-week goal machine will stay at old Trafford until 2019 and sign a contract with the club at the end of the season.
But speaking after United’s EFL Cup Final win over Southampton last weekend, Mourinho said United fans should camp outside Ibrahimovic’s house to ensure he stays.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic has been instrumental for Manchester United this season and has been their main player. He scored the winner that won Manchester United their first trophy under Jose Mourinho and it is widely expected that the club will build upon their first season success under the Portuguese.
Ibra has played 38 games for United this season and has been on the pitch for 3210 minutes – which is the highest by a United player this season. He has scored 26 goals and has provided 6 assists for Manchester United this season, and is their highest goal scorer and their highest assist maker this season so far.
This is the 14th year consecutive that he has hit double figures for the number of goals scored; the last time he scored less than 30 goals in a campaign dates back to 2011; he has scored 46 goals in 2016 alone.
Zlatan will be in demand by the end of the season and there has been speculation around the striker’s future at the club. Manchester United will be left to fill a huge void if Zlatan decides to leave the club at the end of the season.
However, with reports now beginning to emerge that the striker could stay at the club longer, it is easy to see why. The dressing room environment at Old Trafford will surely be flowing with joy as they have already won a trophy and they have a chance of winning two more – the FA cup and the Europa League.
If United manage to win the remaining two trophies and manage to finish in top-4, then there is no question about the success story of their first season under Jose Mourinho. There is every chance that the Portuguese will aim higher in the coming seasons and he will not settle for the laurels that he achieves in his first season.
Hence, it would be better for both Zlatan and the club to hold onto each other. Though Zlatan is 35-years old, there is still top quality football left in him and he has proved it again this season. The fact that he has more goals in his career after turning 30 than the number of goals he scored before turning 30 speaks volumes about this late bloomer.
He is looking fitter and sharper every week and he would easily perform well in England next season as well.
