Zlatan Ibrahimovic has suggested that there may be life after Old Trafford byhinting he could make the switch to Major League Soccer when his time in Manchestercomes to an end.
Ibrahimovic is contracted to United until the end of the season, with the option of a further year. Many might have expected the Swede to retire at that point in 2018, but he responded positively to a question about playing in America because he thinks he can 'conquer' the US.
"It's a huge option for me," Ibrahimovic told Aftonbladet on the subject of moving stateside.
"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.
"Perhaps I should do what Napoleon didn't and cross the Atlantic and conquer the States as well."
If Ibra does head to the MLS in 2018, he could find himself lining up against current United team-mate Wayne Rooney, a known target for new Los Angeles franchise LA FC.
Ibrahimovic has spoken about playing in America previously and hinted it was one of his ambitionswhen chatting to the local media during a pre-season tour in 2015. LA Galaxy were also thought to be one of the clubs vying for his signature this summer.
By the summer of 2018, Ibrahimovic would be 36 going on 37. He has been in the best physical condition of his career since turning 30 and he would be no older than Frank Lampard or Didier Drogba, both of whom have enjoyed successful recent MLS stints.
The 'challenge' is what drives Zlatan. America would be a new challenge and it was precisely that word that tempted him to join Manchester United - the player believes he actually left a better team behind in Paris Saint-Germain, but it was all in pursuit of a new set of goals.
"The team I signed for this summer is not as strong as the one I left, but when Mourinho called the decision was easy," Ibrahimovic explained.
"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. This is what I wanted; coming to one of the world's biggest clubs, that has had troubles and not won much of late, and try the Premier League. That is the challenge."
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