Sunday 23 April 2017 14:35, UK
Zlatan Ibrahimovic's sensational campaign at Manchester United warrants a new contract, despite the striker's season-ending knee injury, argues Oliver Holt.
Ibrahimovic's future at Old Trafford was plunged into doubt on Saturday when United confirmed the Swede had sustained "significant knee-ligament damage" in Thursday's Europa League quarter-final victory against Anderlecht.
Under contract until the end of the season, and with the injury likely to rule him out for the rest of the campaign, United are left in a conundrum whether to offer Ibrahimovic a new deal.
The Daily Mail's chief sports writer, Holt, was clear in his stance though, urging United to stand by the man who was single-handedly carried the club this term.
"All the talk this season was about Zlatan was defying age and how he was getting better as he got older," he told the Sunday Supplement.
"He has had a fantastic season, he has been one of the buys and performers of the season, so it's a really difficult situation for United.
"One would like to think United would stand by him and offer him a new contract. I'm not sure if football works like that anymore, though."
With Ibrahimovic's injury likely to rule him out for the rest of the season, and potentially longer, the Swede could well have played his last game for United.
Matt Dunn of the Daily Express questioned whether the Swede's long-term future rested at Old Trafford, or whether he would choose to join one of the host of clubs that would be desperate to sign him once he returned to fitness.
"Only one person knows if it's the end for Zlatan, and that is Zlatan himself," Dunn added.
"He's got a tough period of rehabilitation to go through to make it back, not helped by his age.
"People will pay him to play football if he wants to, that's unlikely to be United but people will want to have Ibrahimovic in their team when he does get back to fitness.
"But does he want to do it? He's had a fantastic career, what has he got left to give?
"In this country especially, people weren't expecting this season from him - the way he has taken it by the scruff of the neck.
"It's a sad end to the season but the last seven months are a decent high for him to go out on if he chooses too."
