Zlatan Ibrahimovic insists 'lions don't recover like humans' as he steps up return from knee injury

The Swede may have played his final game for Manchester United

Zlatan Ibrahimovic is back kicking a football again for the first time since his career-threatening injury suffered while playing for Manchester United in April.

The Swedish striker underwent major knee surgery last month which ruled him out of United’s final 10 games of the season, including the Europa League final against Ajax.

It was a devastating way to end the season – and possibly his Old Trafford career – after the 35-year-old scored 28 goals in his debut season for the club.

Ibrahimovic’s one-year contract is due to expire at the end of this month and with no new deal on the table yet, it is unclear whether he will ever be seen in a United shirt again.

His agent Mino Raiola revealed on Wednesday that his client wanted to remain at the club but would be open to speaking to other Premier League teams should United not want to renew his contract.

But he is taking the first steps on the road to recovery by uploading a video to Instagram kicking a ball again in his back garden and showing some quick footwork in between.

He captioned the video: “The touch will never disappear. Lions don’t recover like humans.”