Zlatan Ibrahimovic confirms Manchester United transfer
Zlatan Ibrahimovic has confirmed on Instagram and Twitter that he will be joining Manchester United.
“Time to let the world know. My next destination is Manchester United,” he posted, along with the Red Devils’ club crest and the hashtag #iamcoming.
The 34-year-old former Sweden skipper will become new United boss Jose Mourinho’s second signing and will pen a one-year deal, with the option for a further 12 months.
The deal remains unsigned, and the 34-year-old has yet to undergo a medical with them.
But a verbal agreement has been reached between both parties, with no other clubs involved, and the deal is expected to be signed this weekend.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BHSGQLKh66c/?taken-by=iamzlatanibrahimovic
Ibrahimovic will become a free agent on Friday, when his contract with Paris Saint-Germain expires and he will receive a loyalty bonus of around £1million.
On Wednesday he served notice of his impending move on his Instagram account, posting: “For me it is all about looking forward, not back. A new journey is starting.”
He will now attempt to win a league title in a fifth major European league, under the guidance of Jose Mourinho, his former Inter Milan manager.
The pair’s mutual admiration has long been a matter of record, and they share a common enemy in Pep Guardiola, who clashed with both during his time at Barcelona and will be in charge of United’s cross-town rivals City next season.
Ibrahimovic has won a trophy every season of his career since 2001, including 13 league titles.
During his time in France with PSG, he won 12 trophies in four seasons, including two domestic quadruples.
Earlier on Thursday the Red Devils announced that they will be facing Galatasaray in a pre-season clash in Sweden on July 30, just a month after the Swedish skipper retired from international football when his side failed to progress from the group stage in Euro 2016.
The 37-year-old has enjoyed a stellar career, scoring 392 goals in 677 club appearances so far.
His best form has arguably been during his four-season stint with PSG since leaving AC Milan for the French giants in the summer of 2012.
He scored 35 goals in 46 appearances during his first season in the French capital, following that up with hauls of 41 and 30 in the following two years.
Last season was the most productive of his career in front of goal, scoring 50 times in 51 outings in all competitions including 38 Ligue 1 goals in just 31 appearances.
United’s July 30 friendly against Galatasaray in Gothenburg could prove an opportunity for Sweden fans to show their appreciation for Ibrahimovic, who quit internationals as his country’s top scorer in the wake of their Euro 2016 exit.
