Jose Mourinho’s loosening grasp on the dressing room has him reportedly considering a desperate signing.
According to ESPN, Mourinho is thinking about bringing back LA Galaxy forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic to Old Trafford, even if just for a month or two before the MLS season begins next March. While the rumors haven’t been confirmed or denied by Manchester United, there is some rationale behind the move, even if Ibrahimovic wouldn’t get on the field.
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The report states that since Ibrahimovic’s departure last May as well as Wayne Rooney’s move to Everton in 2017, Man United’s dressing room is lacking the big personalities and characters of yore, players who could lead a diverse squad by example or by voice to follow the manager’s orders. Paul Pogba, while a big voice and character, hasn’t been able to galvanize the whole team to follow him, and highly-paid Alexis Sanchez is more of an introvert, preferring to be on his own (and with his adorable dogs).
That’s left Mourinho with a segmented and fractured squad that’s reportedly split into groups based on a common language or nationality, instead of working in lock-step. By bringing back Ibrahimovic, even for a couple months, Mourinho may hope that the players can follow his lead, saving the team’s season. Mourinho could then hope the momentum gained from a two-three month training spell could push Man United in the right direction.
In reality, it looks unlikely that Mourinho will be able to turn things around at Old Trafford, with or without Ibrahimovic, and he could be gone before a decision to sign Ibrahimovic is made. In addition, the LA Galaxy may want their star striker to have a full offseason, so he can rest and recover for the upcoming campaign.