Zlatan Ibrahimovic could be offered fresh terms at Manchester United despite leaving the club at the end of his one-year contract, Jose Mourinho has suggested.
Ibrahimovic struck 17 Premier League goals last season after joining from Paris Saint-Germain, but a serious knee injury sustained against Anderlecht in the Europa League quarter-finals ruled the veteran Swede out for the remainder of the season.
The 35-year-old was subsequently left off United's retained list at the end of the campaign after the club returned to the Champions League by beating Ajax in the Europa League final, and Ibrahimovic hinted in an Instagram post that he would be seeking a new club.
But Mourinho has opened the door for Ibrahimovic to return to Old Trafford, if and when he is able to prove his fitness.
"Possibly, it's open. Of course we wanted to be honest and open and leave everything for him to make the decision," Mourinho said when asked by reporters about Ibrahimovic's possible future at United.
"At the same time, let's make a decision that makes us all happy and if that is for him to stay and for us to wait - let's say in December maybe, because I don't think before December he can get back to competitive football - but why not wait for a player who gave us so much?
"We are changing ideas and it's with Mr [chief executive Ed] Woodward and Zlatan's agent [Mino Raiola], but the final decision is the best for the player."
