According to reports in the Daily Mail, Manchester United striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic could make a shock return to the squad for the Premier League fixture against Newcastle United at Old Trafford on Saturday.

The veteran centre-forward ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee in the Red Devils' Champions League quarter-final tie back in April, and it was feared that not only could the 36-year-old's United career have been over, but it was an injury that could have forced him to retire.

The Swede's contract at Old Trafford also ran out at the end of last season, but he signed a new one-year deal in August to hint at the progress he was making behind the scenes.

The Daily Mail says that while he was expected to be out of action until 2018 at the earliest, he could return to the 18-man squad for the visit of the Magpies this weekend having trained with the rest of his teammates this week.

The news will certainly be a big boost for manager Jose Mourinho, who has seen Romelu Lukaku hit a bit of a dry spell in front of goal recently following an impressive start to the campaign.

Ibrahimovic made a huge first impression in his first season with United, scoring 28 goals in 46 appearances in all competitions.

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