Ibrahimovic will play a reserve role in his return to Man Utd

Sports Mail believes the Swedish striker is no longer the main man he was last season when he returned from injury.

On a long and painful road to recovery from a knee ligament injury, Zlatan Ibrahimovic missed out on Man Utd’s brilliant start to the 2017-18 season. Watching his teammates triumph from the stands and confining himself to the Carrington gym will have left the Swede feeling disheartened.

This week, almost all of his teammates are busy returning to the national team, participating in the World Cup qualifiers, the training ground becomes deserted with Ibrahimovic.

Ibrahimovic wears Man Utd shirt this season, after signing for the club

Many Man Utd fans sent birthday wishes to the 36-year-old striker on social networks, but they all know that the possibility of seeing him again next year is very small.

The Ajax-trained player has been posting videos on his Twitter page, showing off his running and kickboxing to prove that his leg has recovered. But in reality, Ibrahimovic will not be able to return until Man Utd's medical department agrees.

And when that happens, the veteran striker will face a situation he has never encountered before in his illustrious career, fighting for a starting spot.

*Ibrahimovic posted a video showing off his training session

Things are sure to change at Old Trafford. Last season, the Manchester club relied heavily on the Nordic veteran, as Jose Mourinho felt Ibrahimovic was the only man who could satisfy his needs as a striker.

His remarkable return, with 28 goals in 46 games in all competitions, helped Man Utd win the League Cup and Europa League. The Red Devils' second-highest scorers in 2016-17, Marcus Rashford and Henrik Mkhitaryan, only had 11 between them. Juan Mata had 10, and Paul Pogba had nine.

Man Utd relied heavily on Ibrahimovic's goalscoring ability last season, but that will no longer be the case when he returns in January. The Eredivisie, Serie A, La Liga and Ligue 1 winner will begin his 22nd professional season on the bench.

Man Utd's Twitter page sent birthday wishes to Ibrahimovic on October 3

With the absence of Ibrahimovic, the new $97 million signing, Romelu Lukaku not only took the number 9 shirt from his senior, but also took on the task of scoring goals for Man Utd.

Scoring 11 goals in the first 10 games of the season, the Belgian striker has broken almost all the records of the new players at Old Trafford. He has helped the "Red Devils" confidently return to the championship race and is sharing the top spot with Man City.

The former Everton player's quick integration has made it difficult for Mourinho to find a suitable position for Ibrahimovic when he returns. With the excellent form that Rashford and Anthony Martial have shown, Man Utd are no longer dependent on Ibrahimovic's goals.

Mourinho had to rely entirely on Ibrahimovic's goalscoring ability last season.

Mourinho will not deploy Ibrahimovic wide, partly due to the striker's habit of moving little and his limited speed. Thus, with Lukaku as the center forward, the senior Swede will play the role of strategic reserve.

If things don't go Mourinho's way, Ibrahimovic could be the answer. The 36-year-old's return in January would be like adding a new signing, a world-class signing.

The 11-time Swedish Player of the Year will get a chance in some games, if Mourinho wants to protect Lukaku and give him a rest. Ibrahimovic will get a chance at the end of the Premier League season, or in the FA Cup.

That would help Lukaku be fit for important games, against strong opponents, or in the Champions League knockout stages, where Man Utd want to go far this season.

Ibrahimovic's trademark goal celebration

Ibrahimovic will feel strange, because he has always been number one, the center of play for every team he has played for over two decades, whether it is Ajax, Juventus, Inter, Barca, Milan, PSG or the Swedish national team.

Sweden's all-time leading goalscorer will not mind Man Utd keeping him, despite his injury, and waiting for him to recover.

With his full fitness, Man Utd's number 10 will certainly speed up his recovery process. With a bit of luck, Ibrahimovic is fully capable of playing at the top level for another two or three years, whether at Man Utd or another team.

Ibrahimovic may no longer be a Man Utd player next season, but there is no reason to stop him from becoming a hero in the eyes of fans at the end of this season.

According to VNE