The veteran Swedish striker wants to “win bigger” with the club but has not issued a top-four ultimatum regarding what he does next
Zlatan Ibrahimovic insists his Manchester United future does not depend on the club qualifying for the Champions League next season.
The 35-year-old ex-Paris Saint-Germain, Inter and Barcelona star has enjoyed a stunning debut season in the Premier League, scoring 26 goals in all competitions – including a decisive brace in the 3-2 EFL Cup final victory over Southampton at Wembley.
But, having only agreed an initial one-year deal at Old Trafford, Ibrahimovic’s future remains up in the air and he has been linked with the likes of Napoli and LA Galaxy over recent weeks.
United lie fifth in the Premier League ahead of Ibrahimovic’s return from a three-game domestic ban against Everton on Tuesday, and will face Anderlecht in the quarter-finals of the Europa League later this month.
Lifting that trophy or a top-four finish in the English top flight would see United return to Europe’s elite competition but their top scorer maintains this is not the decisive element as he plots his next move.
“I came here without the Champions League. I came with the team as it was,” he said in an interview with MUTV.
“It was a not a team that was favourite to win, I came still. I came to help, I came to do what I am able to do and I make it better – to bring the team and the club to have higher views.
“If I had something [on my future] to say I would already have said it.
“There is nothing [to say]. We are talking. If we are far from each other, if we are close to each other… there is no news.
“There are still talks and let’s see what will happen. I am open, there is nothing done yet.”
Nevertheless, Ibrahimovic suggested he wants to see continued ambition from United to push for major honours.
Boss Jose Mourinho secured Paul Pogba in a world-record deal from Juventus last year and the club have been linked with similarly blockbusting moves for the likes of Antoine Griezmann this time around.
“Let’s see what happens,” Ibrahimovic added. “I am 35. A lot of things have to be settled. It is not like I am 20 and I have another five or 10 years.
“I have probably one, two or three years. Everything depends on what you want, what the club wants and what the vision of the club is.
“I said from day one, I didn’t come here to lose time. I came here to win.
“I’ve been winning but if you want to win bigger you have to create bigger.”
