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Zlatan Ibrahimovic has said that he will make a decision on his next club ‘soon’ and has suggested that a return to Milan could be on the cards.
The Paris Saint-Germain striker, linked with a number of Premier League clubs, has openly speculated that he could move to England’s top flight.
Ibrahimovic’s contract with the Ligue 1 club expires in the summer and Manchester United have been repeatedly mooted as a potential destination.
The Sweden international, however, gave little away when speaking to Gazzetta dello Sport on Sunday, only revealing that his future would be resolved ‘soon’.
"It depends on others, not just me,” he said. "What I want is to play, as for where that is, we will see. Soon you'll know everything and all this speculation will be over.”
Show all 10 1 /10Who is playing for their Man Utd future? Who is playing for their Man Utd future? Michael Carrick The Old Trafford career of Manchester United’s second longest-serving player is coming to an end. Last year’s decision to hand him a one-year extension was questionable, this year it would be unjustified. It’s time to call it a day.
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Who is playing for their Man Utd future? One of the quieter disappointments of Louis van Gaal’s tenure. Rojo has rarely, if ever, put in an above-average performance and cost his team too often. A tournament-inspired signing if ever there was one and likely to go out the door with his manager, who has also disappointed after an eye-catching World Cup.
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Who is playing for their Man Utd future? Memphis Depay His season has been, to put it in the kindest terms, ‘mercurial’. Brief, perhaps very brief, glimpses at his talent have been outweighed by truly anaemic, gutless performances. His youth should be enough to dissuade the club’s hierarchy from cashing in but Depay will need to show a serious volte-face in his second season to turn his Old Trafford fortunes around.
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Who is playing for their Man Utd future? Juan Mata In truth, if Jose Mourinho takes over at Old Trafford as expected, there may be little that the Spaniard can do to convince his new manager that he should be kept on. His fate, in that sense, may be sealed. Nevertheless, Mata can hardly claim to have fully established himself at Old Trafford and still has a number of doubters. A few weeks in his preferred no. 10 role could do him a world of good.
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Who is playing for their Man Utd future? Marouane Fellaini Quite easily the most unpopular man at Old Trafford on any given matchday and this season, that’s saying something. He wants to do well, that’s clear, but he simply does not have the requisite technical quality and tries to make up for it by elbowing people. His time’s up.
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Who is playing for their Man Utd future? Paddy McNair Alongside Tyler Blackett, McNair provides the stand-out argument against those who uncritically praise Van Gaal’s promotion of youth. Sadly he, nor Blackett, are good enough and should not have been relied upon so much at points during the Dutchman’s first season. In truth, both may have already made their last appearances for United.
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Who is playing for their Man Utd future? Cameron Borthwick-Jackson Surprisingly, the young full-back still has not been tied down to a long-term contract, despite his impressive performances since breaking into the side. Talks are understood to have begun but Borthwick-Jackson’s contract expires in June and his future won’t be certain until the dotted line is signed.
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Who is playing for their Man Utd future? Antonio Valencia His brilliant 2011/12 campaign established him as a firm favourite among supporters but his surrender of the no. 7 shirt the year after marked him as a player who sometimes struggles with a weight of expectation on his shoulders. Ever since, he’s been a figure on the fringes and only on the odd occasions that he’s fit. Sell up before his contract expires next year.
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Who is playing for their Man Utd future? Adnan Januzaj Packed off on loan to Borussia Dortmund, sent back early after starting just three times and just two substitute appearances since his return. It’s all a far cry from having three football associations fight over your international allegiance. Where Januzaj goes next is unclear but he acts a forewarning to the likes of Jesse Lingard and Marcus Rashford – consistency, not just youthful exuberance, is needed to prosper at United.
Who is playing for their Man Utd future? Andreas Pereira The Belgian-born Brazilian has shown his talent at times but, like Januzaj, seems to be another academy product who’s stalling in the reserves while others prosper. He needs with a loan move to gain competitive minutes, perhaps on the continent, or he risks complete stagnation.
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Ibrahimovic directly addressed speculation regarding a return to Milan, where he played 85 games and scored 56 goals during a two-year spell between 2010 and 2012.
The 34-year-old striker enjoyed his time in Italy’s second city, playing as part of the 2011/12 Serie A-winning side and also appearing for the club’s rivals Internazionale.
"I have a good relationship with Milan,” he said. “I love Milan and in my view it's the biggest club I ever played for.
“I didn't want to leave Milan. My exit from Milan is the past and this is the future. Let's see what happens."
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