‘Time to let the world know’: Zlatan Ibrahimovic announces move to Manchester United

Zlatan Ibrahimovic said on Thursday that he is joining Manchester United, ending intense speculation about where the 34-year-old Swedish striker will be playing next season.

After months of speculation, Zlatan Ibrahimovic has announced he will join Manchester United. Peter Powell / EPA

Zlatan Ibrahimovic said on Thursday that he is joining Manchester United, ending intense speculation about where he will be playing next season.

Ibrahimovic, 34, was a free agent after ending a hugely successful stay at Paris Saint-Germain, and becomes the second signing of new United manager Jose Mourinho after that of Ivory Coast centre-back Eric Bailly from the Spanish club Villarreal

“Time to let the world know. My next destination is Manchester United,” he wrote on Instagram and Facebook, complete with a picture of the United badge, as comments approving of the move flooded in in response.

Ibrahimovic reunites with Mourinho, after they enjoyed a good relationship while together at Italians Inter Milan.

The Swede had toyed with questioners for weeks about where he would be going and it will be his first time playing in the Premier League.

Ibrahimovic, who quit international football after Sweden crashed out of Euro 2016, has also played for Ajax, Juventus, Barcelona and AC Milan during a career in which he has become as well known for his colourful personality as his prowess in front of goal.

He had also been linked with a return to AC Milan and his agent had suggested that Major League Soccer in the United States was another potential destination.

Ibrahimovic said weeks ago that he knew where he would be playing football next season, but kept the football world guessing.

“Yes, I have made my choice,” Ibrahimovic told a press conference at a training camp near Stockholm for the Swedish national team ahead of Euro 2016.

Poll: Zlatan Ibrahimovic - More Cantona or Falcao of Man United?

He said then that he had decided “long ago” but dodged all questions about whether that team was Manchester United, where Mourinho has replaced Louis van Gaal after the Dutchman’s troubled two-year reign at Old Trafford came to a bitter end.

Asked a direct question about whether he had received an offer from United, Ibrahimovic’s hesitancy in answering spoke volumes.

He drummed his fingers on the table, smiled and eventually replied: “Let’s see what happens.”

“There are concrete offers from England, Italy ... all countries. There are even some from outside Europe,” he said.

“There are many, many alternatives.”

But when asked whether he was tempted to work again with Mourinho, Ibrahimovic said only that they had worked well together at Inter, where the Swede played from 2006 to 2009.

“You want action, you bring Mourinho. I believe he’s the man to bring them back to the top. Wherever he went he won,” the Swede said of Mourinho taking over at United, where he will be tasked with bringing back the glory days sorely missing under van Gaal.

“I had a fantastic time with him, when I was working with him (Mourinho). So, working again with him ... When I left Inter with him I said we had a short time together ... If we will work again I don’t know.”

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