Skip to main content

Mourinho wants Ibrahimovic, Lukaku to compete

 Jose Mourinho
Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho expects Zlatan Ibrahimovic to challenge Romelu Lukaku for a starting berth when the Swedish striker returns to action.
Ibrahimovic, 35, signed a one-year contract with United this week, having been sidelined since sustaining a serious knee ligament injury four months ago.
Manchester United’s Portuguese manager Jose Mourinho reacts after the UEFA Europa League final football match Ajax Amsterdam v Manchester United on May 24, 2017 at the Friends Arena in Solna outside Stockholm. / AFP PHOTO
Lukaku has made an impressive start to his Old Trafford career, but Mourinho says that when Ibrahimovic returns to fitness, he will be given a chance to take the Belgian’s place.
“Zlatan knows me,” Mourinho told reporters on Friday. “And he knows that I play the players that I think are the best for the team. I always did it.
“I always did that in my life, so if he comes here and he proves that he is the best, he plays. If the other ones don’t give him a chance to prove that, that’s life.
“But I try always to be honest with my players and with my team. I try. Maybe sometimes I do not the correct things. But I always try to do.”
Lukaku, 24, has made a strong impression following his £75 million ($96.6 million, 81.3 million euros) move from Everton, scoring four goals in his first three United appearances.
While Mourinho envisages Ibrahimovic playing a key role over the second part of the season, he is similarly insistent that the experienced forward will have to force his way into what could be a settled team.
“Zlatan is going to arrive into a made team,” said Mourinho ahead of Saturday’s home game with Leicester City.
“Zlatan is going to arrive to a team that, I don’t say is the end product, but he is going to arrive mid-season with the team playing in a certain way and with players having what I call the functional links in the dynamic of the team.
“So nobody should be worried with Zlatan and I think for you it’s just a funny exercise of football brain to try to anticipate what we are going to be when he comes back, but we are going to be a better squad.”
He added: “We need a striker and we have one striker just around the corner that belongs to our family, that likes to be with us and play for us.
“Probably in January I would be knocking on (executive vice chairman) Ed Woodward’s door asking for a striker for the second part of the season and I don’t need to. I have one of the best in the world.”
Courtesy: Vanguard

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Shocking !!! Man attempts to use father,siblings and friends for rituals

A 26-year-old man, identified as  Chukwuemeka Okafor, has been arrested by the Police in Anambra for allegedly attempting to use his father, two siblings and five friends for money ritual. The suspect, who is an indigene of Ifite-Awka in Awka South Local Government Area of Anambra, was arrested following information made available to the police by a vigilant resident of the community. The Commissioner of Police in the state, Garba Umar, who briefed journalists in Amawbia on Thursday on the arrest of the suspect, said the father had innocently provided N100,000 to his son unknown to him that the son had a devilish intention. Mr. Umar said that the suspect lied to his father about a business which made him to raise the money for him believing that it was for a genuine venture. He further said that after collecting the money, the suspect proceeded to the house of a native doctor to prepare a charm that would enable him to eliminate his father, two siblings and five of his friends. H

GOLDEN SCEPTRE says good-bye to Wayne Rooney with this video

England's all-time leading goalscorer Wayne Rooney has retired from international football after turning down the chance to be part of the squad for next month's World Cup qualifiers. The Everton striker was asked by England boss Gareth Southgate to be involved against Malta and Slovakia. "Every time I was selected was a real privilege but I believe now is the time to bow out," said the 31-year-old. The former Manchester United captain scored 53 times in 119 internationals. Right time for Rooney to bow out - Phil Neville Rooney the perfect England captain - Terry Butcher Rooney, overlooked by Southgate for matches against Scotland and France in June, made his England debut in February 2003, in a 3-1 defeat by Australia at Upton Park. He made his major tournament debut as an 18-year-old at Euro 2004, and his last international appearance was as captain in last November's 3-0 victory over Scotland at Wembley. Rooney rejoined boyhood club Everton in t

Fayose Begs Buhari to Resign, Calls Him Sick and tired

President Muhammadu Buhari has been urged to throw in the towel as his illness has made it impossible for him to lead the country. Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, has begged President Muhammadu Buhari to resign and go home for a good rest. The Governor said he still stands by all he said about President Buhari on his ill health and has no apologies. Speaking on Wednesday in Ado Ekiti, the Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party’s Governors Forum advised the president to stop deceiving Nigerians as the truth cannot be hidden forever. He said,  “If not for our efforts, Buhari wouldn’t have returned now. Buhari is sick and tired and even his physical appearance betrayed this and he needs to go home and rest.   “Today, they have cancelled the Federal Executive Council meeting. You cannot hide the truth forever, it will reveal itself someday. You cannot continue to deceive Nigerians.   “Every word that has come out of my mouth, I have no apology for them. President Buhari was