Manchester United coach Jose Mourinho insists striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic can play a huge role both on and off the pitch this season as the club look to challenge for silverware.
The Red Devils, 3.75 to win the league title, started the new Premier League campaign with a win thanks to a strong performance away at Bournemouth.
Mourinho’s men recorded a 3-1 win against the Cherries, with Ibrahimovic grabbing his first league goal for the club. Midfielder Juan Mata opened the scoring, before Wayne Rooney doubled United’s lead.
Ibrahimovic then added a third but Bournemouth’s Adam Smith grabbed a consolation strike.
Mourinho was quick to praise several members of his team and he was quick to single out the former Paris Saint-Germain forward.
Some sections of the press have claimed he may struggle at 34, but Mourinho expects him to play a huge role in the future.
“Forget the passport, forget 34 years old: the body and mentality is not of a 34-year-old guy,” he told Sky Sports.
“I think he’s at the top of his qualities. His table for breakfast and his table for meals, he is surrounded by the young ones, surrounded by the kids.
“Luke Shaw, Marcus Rashford, these are the guys that are with him on the table. So he knows what he can be for them.
“When I look to the players that were not on the pitch, (Jesse) Lingard, Rashford, (Henrikh) Mkhitaryan, Memphis Depay, Ashley Young, we have a lot.
“So when September arrives, when cup talk arrives and the Europa League arrives, we have the people to play and to try to be competitive in every competition.”
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