Swede striker Zlatan Ibrahimović. (Photo : Getty Images)
Incoming free agent striker Zlatan Ibrahimović is reportedly set to join English Premier League powerhouse Manchester United on Friday, July 1, a day after his contract with Ligue 1 champions Paris Saint-Germain expires.
Caught Offside reported that the 34-year-old Sweden international "is expected to sign a one-year deal with United" as soon as he becomes a free agent this summer, which will make him the second signing of new Red Devils head coach Jose Mourinho.
Mourinho, who took over from Dutch mentor Louis van Gaal last month, had bought 22-year-old center back Eric Bailly from La Liga side Villarreal earlier this month for £30 million and it was said to be only the beginning of the Special One's major revamp at the Old Trafford.
The Swede team captain is said to be an ideal signing of Mourinho as the former Porto, Inter Milan, Real Madrid, and Chelsea champion coach is known to be a "win-now" manager and he hopes to replicate his past championship successes with his former clubs in United.
Mourinho and Ibrahimović had been together before with Inter in the Serie A and were able to produce one Scudetto during the 2008-2009 season with the latter also becoming the top goalscorer in the Italian top flight that season.
Ibrahimović then moved to La Liga with Barcelona the following season and Mourinho went on to win a second consecutive Serie A title while the Swede sensation won the Spanish top flight crown with Barça in that same year.
The two are known winners in the sport and so their reunion at the Old Trafford this summer is expected to bring back the same winning culture that United had all throughout the years.
Meanwhile, Daily Mail Online noted that Ibrahimović had to intentionally wait until his contract with PSG expires this June 30 before he could sign with the Red Devils as that would "trigger a loyalty payment" from the French club.
Ibrahimović led Les Parisiens to four straight Ligue 1 championships during his four-year stay in Paris, leading the league in goalscoring in three of those four seasons.
He saved his best for last as the Swede's most prolific performance came during the recent 2015-2016 season, where he scored 38 goals in 31 appearances in the French top flight and netted 50 goals in 51 games in all competitions, signaling that he can still perform at the highest level even at his advanced age.
If the deal pushes through, this is the first time that Ibrahimović will play in the highly-physical English top flight competitions as he had been successful in every European league he played in so far.
