Jose Mourinho: Zlatan Ibrahimovic will have to earn Manchester United starting berth

Zlatan Ibrahimovic returned to United on Thursday after agreeing a one-year deal with the Premier League giants.

MANCHESTER United manager Jose Mourinho says Zlatan Ibrahimovic is aware he faces a fight for game-time at Old Trafford with fellow forwards Romelu Lukaku and Marcus Rashford.

Ibrahimovic returned to United on Thursday after agreeing a one-year deal with the Premier League giants.

The 35-year-old striker scored 28 goals and provided 10 assists in 46 outings for the club during the 2016/17 campaign before suffering a knee injury, which ended his season prematurely. He is still making his way back from the setback.

“Zlatan knows me and he knows that I play the players that I think are best for the team,” Mourinho said. “I have always done that.

“So if he comes here and he proves he is the best, he plays. If the other ones don’t give him a chance to prove that… that is life.

“But I try always to be honest with my players and with my team. Maybe sometimes I don’t always do the correct things but I try.”

He added: “My squad is better for sure. It is one more option. It is one more striker. It is one more experienced player. It is one more player that can play nine or ten, that can play double strikers.

“We have lots of matches to play. If we progress in the Champions League and if we progress in one of the cups, we would be in a position where we couldn’t do it with only Lukaku and Rashford, especially if I play both together.

“If I play with both, I would need another striker so probably in January I would be knocking on Ed Woodward’s door asking for a striker for the second part of the season.

“Now I don’t need to knock on the door. I have one of the best in the world.” –kickoff.com