Zlatan Ibrahimovic back training with Manchester United first-team after horror knee injury
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ZLATAN IBRAHIMOVIC is back in training with the Manchester United first team squad.
SunSport revealed recently how the Swedish striker had stunned United medical staff with his progress, as he continued his return from knee surgery in April.
Now he has taken another leap towards a playing return, with the news he has been able to join in regular sessions with the other senior stars.
Carrington insiders revealed Ibra has trained for the past seven days and United have gently reintroduced him to the main group.
He has been spending around 20 to 25 minutes with them in each session, and is said to be operating at “around 90 per cent.”
Physical contact is still being carefully managed, although he has joined in some light work, and is shooting, passing and running freely.
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United used the recent international break to get Ibrahimovic, 36, more involved in some sessions, with numbers depleted.
He is also working daily with conditioning coaches and regularly stays behind at Carrington after many of his team-mates have already left, working into the mid-afternoon.
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So far there has been no reaction to the step up in intensity and training ground staff are increasingly hopeful the player will get the all-clear for full physical contact and tackling in the next couple of weeks.
Ibra hasn’t played since damaging his knee when he landed awkwardly in the Europa League win over Anderlecht in April.
It was initially expected to keep him out until the New Year, but he made such incredible stunning progress that Jose Mourinho even included him in his Champions League squad.
Although he has not been included in United's travelling party that headed to Portugal to face Benfica tonight.
United certainly won’t rush last term’s 28-goal top scorer back into action – yet his availability will offer Mourinho the chance to finally give Romelu Lukaku a rest.
