Jose Mourinho confirms Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s Manchester United career may not be over

At this moment in time, Zlatan Ibrahimovic is not registered to a club.

Having ruptured knee ligaments against Anderlecht in April, Manchester United decided not to extend his one year contract at the club. Originally expected to be out until 2018, several reports have surfaced in the last few weeks suggesting that the Swede is ahead of schedule in his recovery, and could yet re-sign for United. United are currently in Los Angeles where they will kick off their preseason tour of the US against LA Galaxy on Saturday. Speaking at a press conference, Jose Mourinho confirmed that United are indeed open to the idea of re-signing Ibrahimovic. "It's possible, it's open," said Mourinho.

"We want him to be honest and open and let everything be there for him to make a decision in case his desire was to leave, so there was not a new contract. "There was a space and time for everyone to think, to feel, to decide and, from his point of view, he made the decision to still want to play football at the highest level. "It would be easy for him to hide behind such an amazing injury and say it's time to play at a different level. But he made the challenge for him to continue at the highest level. "We opened our door for him to recover with us and then to make a decision. "We are speaking, we are exchanging ideas, but the most important thing is what is best for the player."

Ibrahimovic is using United's AON Training Complex facilities as he recovers from his knee injury. The latest development might also explain why United's new signing Romelu Lukaku felt the need to ask Ibrahimovic's permission to wear the number nine shirt at Old Trafford - a shirt the former Paris Saint-Germain striker had worn last season.