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Not A Wise Move Afterall By Mourinho? 3 Reasons Why Man United’s Latest Signing Could Turn Out To Be A Failed Move

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Jose Mourinho’s long-awaited arrival at the Theatre of Dreams in May was much heralded, one of the reasons being the ability of his magnetic presence in any club to attract top players.

So, it didn’t matter if Manchester United were not playing in the Champions League, or had fallen off the pinnacle of English football. The big stars love Mourinho, and one of the biggest, in Zlatan Ibrahimovic arrived for free.

The reunion has yielded 4 league goals thus far, some which have earned the Red Devils some of their 13 points. But is the one-year deal, with an option of another year extension a right signing?

The cons outweigh the pros, and here are 3 reasons why Zlatan Ibrahimovic could turn out to be a wrong signing in the end.

Age! Age!! Age!!!

The Swede clocked 35 on Monday, and while he remains one of the best goal poachers the game has ever seen, it is becoming more and more evident that age is no longer on his side. Despite still going strong, his body will soon stop carrying him on, and Manchester United might suffer for it.

Opting to spearhead the attack with an aged player on his last legs, and hoping to land the title isn’t the greatest of moves. And considering how he has fluffed some clear cut chances in recent league games, it alludes to the fact that his quality is beginning to dwindle. Nature can’t be cheated.

Will he cope without his first ever winter break?

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From Netherlands (18-day break) to Italy (21 days), Spain (17 days) and France (20 days), Zlatan is used to recharging his batteries towards the start of the 2nd half of the season. In England, that rest won’t come, and it’s the time many a strong player yields to the strain, and what follows are some tiring football playing.

For reasons unknown, Manchester United haven’t used Zlatan sparingly. He has played in the Europa League, English Football League, and sure would be thrown into action once the F.A Cup starts for the big sides next year.

The constant travellings, training sessions and grueling work rate English football poses will ultimately have its side effects on Ibrahimovic. He could shut down when the title race gets stiffer by April, and United wouldn’t be able to rely on their goal machine by then when they need it most.

Rashford’s development as a striker inadvertently stifles

The youngster has once again found his way back into the first-team reckoning after starting the season on the bench as Zlatan’s understudy, but he is being made to play out of his natural position.

The 18-year-old has had to settle for a role on the wings, and inasmuch as that could help his versatility, playing as a striker could become almost strange after a while. He’s getting used to being a wide-man in order to accommodate the Swede, and it’s not allowing him to develop further as an out-and-out striker.

Having emerged from oblivion during the latter stages of the last term, this season was supposed to a major breakthrough season for Rashford, and he would have continued to take his chances in leading the attack.

But he is being saddled with the responsibility of providing the balls for Ibrahimovic, when it should have been the other way round. It might come back to haunt the club later.