Zlatan Ibrahimovic must earn Manchester United starting place back from Romelu Lukaku warns Jose Mourinho
Swedish striker signs new one-year deal but has been told to forget about being an automatic pick by his manager
Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho expects Zlatan Ibrahimovic to challenge Romelu Lukaku for a starting place when the Swedish striker returns to action.
Ibrahimovic, 35, signed a one-year contract with United this week, having been sidelined since sustaining a serious knee ligament injury four months ago.
Lukaku has made an impressive start to his Old Trafford career, but Mourinho says that when Ibrahimovic returns to fitness, he will be given a chance to take the Belgian’s place.
“Zlatan knows me,” Mourinho said. “And he knows that I play the players that I think are the best for the team. I always did it.
“I always did that in my life, so if he comes here and he proves that he is the best, he plays. If the other ones don’t give him a chance to prove that, that’s life.
“But I try always to be honest with my players and with my team. I try. Maybe sometimes I do not the correct things. But I always try to do.”