Zlatan Ibrahimovic has no regrets joining Man United

Zlatan Ibrahimovic has no regrets about swapping ‘superior’ Paris St Germain for Manchester United, the striker determined to help Jose Mourinho restore the club to the summit.

Months of speculation came to a head in the summer when the 35-year-old finally made his move to Old Trafford, a one-year deal and the option of a further 12 months.

Ibrahimovic, like the team as a whole, enjoyed an encouraging start, only for that to tail off and leave United nine points off the lead.

The Swede always thought United would be “underdogs” and remains confident they can kick on, with Mourinho, his former boss at Inter Milan, as important in his move as the challenge itself.

“The team I signed for this summer is not as strong as the one I left, but when Mourinho called the decision was easy,” he said.

“When he calls I have no problem coming, all we had to decide was when I was to be presented as Man U player. The rest, the financial deal, was not the difficult part.

“It was about the challenge really, and I will never say no to a challenge.”

Ibrahimovic was speaking ahead of receiving his 11th Guldboll, the prize presented by Aftonbladet and the Swedish FA to the country’s best player. A statue of the 35-year-old in Stockholm is now in the offing, so too it appears is an eventual move to the United States. Ibrahimovic has long been linked with a move to Major League Soccer and such a move clearly interests the striker.

“It’s a huge option for me,” he said. “For the football and everything else.

“I can see myself conquering the US as I have with Europe.

“Lots of people stay in one place throughout their career, but I’ve travelled around like Napoleon, and conquered every new country where I’ve sat foot.

“So perhaps I should do what Napoleon didn’t and cross the Atlantic and conquer the States as well.”