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Defining the Ibrahimovic role in the new-look Manchester United

Defining the Ibrahimovic role in the new-look Manchester United

When Manchester United announced the resigning of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, it didn't come as a surprise to anybody. It was something that everybody expected, especially after the big Swede’s swift recovery from the injury that he suffered in the Europa League quarter-final game against Anderlecht last season. 
 
The news lead to rejoicing among the Old Trafford faithful, but the question that pops up once you realise that Ibrahimovic will wear the famed red shirt once again is where he will play, especially with Romelu Lukaku an automatic first choice up front. The big money signing from Everton has already found the back of the net three times in as many outings and is an obvious first-choice up front with Marcus Rashford also waiting in the wings alongside the mercurial Anthony Martial; the duo playing out wide so far this season due to the big Belgian's presence up front.
 
Zlatan’s signing will allow United a fourth forward and that increases the depth and quality of the side even further. All four are quality forwards who can do the goalscoring job whenever the manager calls upon them to do so. 

 
Jose Mourinho did confirm that Ibrahimovic will be back in action in January and won’t play a part in the early Champions League proceedings. Till then, United will have three strikers to use, with the Premier League, League Cup and the Champions League group stages to be played during Ibrahimovic's exile. Fixtures come thick and fast in December and that’s when clubs like Arsenal and Tottenham lose track of their campaigns, particularly the Gunners due to a lack of depth. The last time Lukaku missed a game due to injury was back in early 2014, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t a risk of something like happening. 
 
The manner in which Martial and Rashford have been used shows that they could be the reason why Mourinho has backed away from signing a proper winger like Ivan Perisic from Inter Milan. In the first two games, it was Martial who came off the bench to score and against Slaven Bilic’s West Ham with Rashford grabbing the opener for the Red Devils last weekend after being on the field a matter of minutes. The pace they provide on the break make them the wingers of the side leaving Lukaku and Ibrahimovic as the out and out strikers. 
 
Once January comes, fatigue will creep in and a player of Ibrahimovic’s calibre will make an impact. If not as a starter, then certainly as a Plan B. When in need of a goal, Ibrahimovic can be thrown on to add numbers in the final third and his physique and size will be a daunting task to handle, especially if Lukaku and his compatriot Marouane Fellaini are on the pitch.

 
It’s not just about the on-pitch things that the former AC and Inter Milan star brings to the table. Manchester United, over the years, have always been blessed and have boasted of players who have an undying hunger to win and the desire to succeed. Be it the recently departed Wayne Rooney, Nemanja Vidic, Rio Ferdinand , Paul Scholes or Ryan Giggs; all of these players had one important quality that defined them and made them United legends- they never gave up. They gave their all in every game and inspired a whole generation.
 
Zlatan is another of those players who has that spirit about him. He never gives up and happens to be one of the most motivational characters in football right now. He has the experience of playing for top clubs all around Europe and it isn’t just last season’s goal tally that makes him an impact signing. He knows how to lead the side when things are not going their way and the very fact that he admitted in his autobiography that Jose Mourinho is someone he would love to die for shows how much faith he has in the manager and vice versa.

 
 
Kaustubh Pandey (@TheFootyMad)