United fans won’t have to wait long to see the Swede in action again (Picture: Getty)

Zlatan Ibrahimovic believes he can be back in a Manchester United shirt by the end of October as the Red Devils look set to announce his new deal this week.

The Swedish striker has been sidelined since April with an ACL knee injury that ended his season and denied him the opportunity to play at the Friends Arena in his native Stockholm when United won the Europa League.

But he has made a far quicker recovery than anticipated, with surgeons at the time astonished by his early progress after such a serious injury.

Ibrahimovic hyperextended his knee against Anderlecht in the Europa League (Picture: Getty)

And now The Sun are reporting that he will sign a new deal imminently – rather than in January as was first reported – and he is targeting a return to action on the weekend of October 28.

Ibrahimovic hopes to be fit in time to take on Tottenham in the Premier League, some three months ahead of his initial recovery schedule.

Ibrahimovic could give Mourinho an early season selection dilemma (Picture: Getty)

Both United’s staff and the 35-year-old’s own doctors have been amazed by his rapid recovery since undergoing surgery.

And he has told friends that the injury is now fully healed and he will begin proper ball work within the next few weeks, before stepping up his rehabilitation even further by joining in with first-team training.

Ibrahimovic has been seen diving off a yacht after being urged to take some time off from his intensive recovery training, and has also been doing gruelling kick boxing sessions.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BYBZ79dgwmA/?taken-by=iamzlatanibrahimovic

But The Sun say that United officials are not worried about his exertions, and believe he is virtually back to his full-health, pre-injury strength.

Mourinho had wanted Ibrahimovic to provide a timely boost come January, but will have him available far sooner than he realised, while United’s physios are having to constantly revise his rehab schedule.

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