Zlatan Ibrahimovic can still play for many years, says surgeon

The surgeon that operated on Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s knee has revealed the Manchester United striker can still continue playing football for several years.

Ibrahimovic ruptured his cruciate ligaments in a nasty fall during United’s Europa League clash with Anderlecht last month and isn’t expected to return to full fitness until later this year.

There were concerns Ibrahimovic would have to retire but the signals from the 35-year-old striker’s camp are that he will return to football at the end of his lengthy rehabilitation period, although it will not be at United.

Ibrahimovic’s current deal is due to expire at the end of the season and United are not expected to retain his services having previously been looking to reward the former Sweden international with fresh terms.

However, the former Paris Saint-Germain striker has been given encouragement he can return to the very top after his surgeon, Dr Freddie Fu Ho-Keung, praised the way the forward has looked after his body his entire career.

“I can’t discuss too many details, I don’t want to get in trouble with Manchester United,” Fu, the chairman of the department of orthopaedic surgery at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Centre, told the South China Morning Post.

“But I can tell you he’s in superb shape in all things. Healthy morphology, the quality of the bone and muscle, everything is as good as you can possibly see. He’s one of the top athletes I’ve ever touched, he is in superb shape.

“He can still play for many years. He’s so healthy, so strong. Biologically, bone morphology, everything, is absolutely very healthy.”

Ibrahimovic joined United on a free transfer last summer and had been a revelation for Jose Mourinho’s side, playing well beyond his advancing years and proving all of his critics wrong.

In the league, Ibrahimovic has still scored at least 11 goals more than any other United player (17) and was only two goals away from reaching the 30-goal mark in all competitions before injury ruled him out for the season.

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