Manchester United’s reliance on Zlatan Ibrahimovic is clear. The Swede has scored 38% of their league goals this season, a number inferior only to Romelu Lukaku’s 40% for Everton in terms of the teams in the top half of the table. A further four assists show how important he has been. Questions were raised over him, and his talents were foolishly doubted even in his peak years elsewhere in Europe but he has thankfully condemned those misguided comments to the annals of ludicrous footballing clichés.

[ffc_insert title="Will Manchester United even miss Zlatan Ibrahimovic?" name="Opinion" image_ link="https://www.footballfancast.com/opinion-2/stats-show-man-united-may-not-even-miss-the-banned-ibrahimovic" link_text="Read More" ]

Now he has proved his point to everyone in England: Ibrahimovic is on a trophy hunt. Two are still strongly possible this kseason with the EFL Cup already in the bag. Few players boast a career as glittering as Ibrahimovic’s, a career with league titles across Europe and enough medals to leave even some of the game’s greatest envious.

Despite apparent joy at Manchester United and a continuation of football’s ego-heavy bromance with Jose Mourinho, Ibrahimovic is reluctant to confirm he will be at the club next season. Murmurings of a big money move to MLS continue to bubble along the gossip columns and mentions of a contract for next season seem to be disappearing into the ether.

So even universal adulation, working with a dear friend and the prospect of future trophies cannot make Ibrahimovic certain of his future at Manchester United. It may be a case of ongoing negotiations or jockeying for position around his contract next season, or it could be a case of a journeyman wanting to write another chapter in his adventure. England has been ticked off the list, perhaps.

Although Ibrahimovic continues to perform to freakish levels for a player of his age and career length, the former AC Milan, Barcelona and Juventus striker will eventually see his performances decline. His mobility is not a key asset at the moment, but with time even that will tail off.

Whether he falls off that physical cliff in 2017 or 2022 is an unknown, it may not happen for a while, but it is a continued risk with a player of his age. Ibrahimovic goes against expectations in almost everything it does, or so it seems, yet Manchester United must be wary of relying on a veteran striker for another hectic season.

Links to others, most notably Antoine Griezmann, continue in the light of Ibrahimovic’s uncertainty. The longer this saga progresses, though, the harder it will be to replace the Swede with a player of similar calibre this summer. That is to assume it is possible to find a player as good as – let alone similar to – Ibrahimovic.

He is a genius, a once in a generation striker. Even at 35, he is one of the best individual players in the world. Manchester United have built around his immense hold-up play and presence to occupy central defenders and bring midfielders into the game. The team will require adaptation in a post-Zlatan world and that could take time.

If a contract is going to be possible, Manchester United should do it, but it has to happen soon. Hanging around for his decision does the club and his team-mates no good. Mourinho understandably wants to keep him at the club, but its important they do not put all their eggs into an unreliable basket. If he keeps stalling, it's time for United to ask if Ibrahimovic is holding them back.

[ad_pod id='playwire' align='center']