Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s fitness takes priority over his future ―Jose Mourinho

ZLATAN Ibrahimovic’s fitness is more important than resolving his Manchester United future, says boss Jose Mourinho.

The 35-year-old striker was injured in last week’s Europa League quarter-final second-leg win over Anderlecht.

United boss Mourinho revealed that Ibrahimovic, whose contract expires this summer, will undergo “big” surgery followed by a long period of recovery.

“Now, before such important surgery, it is a waste of time to speak about what next,” said Mourinho.

When pressed about the Swede’s future, Mourinho replied: “I don’t know, I don’t want to know, I am not interested in it.

“I just want the difficult surgery to go, for him to recover from the injury and prepare for the next step.

“I think the next step will be something that he really wants, which is what I was saying before the injury in the period of doubt about his future.”

Following his injury, Ibrahimovic posted a message on Instagram that read: “I will be out of football for a while. I will go through this like everything else and come back even stronger.

“So far I played with one leg so it shouldn’t be any problem. One thing is for sure, I decide when it’s time to stop and nothing else. Giving up is not an option.”

Speaking before Thursday’s Manchester derby, Mourinho added: “It looks to me as though he is not going to give up and is going to fight. I am very pleased. This is the Zlatan I know – he has fought all his life.

“The future is big surgery and long recovery but the future is also in the hands of a very strong guy – mentally very, very strong.”

 

SOURCE: BBC SPORT