Turn Away Manchester United Fans: 3 Reasons Why Zlatan Ibrahimovic Might Turn Out To Be A Flop

Manchester United fans have been left frustrated since the departure of Sir Alex Ferguson, there team has been slowly sliding down, two managers have been sacked in the space three years, something which is unheard of at United. However it’s not all doom and gloom, as serial winner Jose Mourinho has been handed the reins of Old Trafford. The Portuguese has been quick to get on with his transfer business and has already made three very quality additions to the squad. The most urgent requirement is a world class striker, who is capable of having a 20-25 goals season on a consistent basis.

Mourinho has tried to plug those gaps upfront with the signing of Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Henrikh Mkhitaryan. Many are expecting the Swede to hit the ground running in the Premier League and help fire Manchester United to the title but at 34-years-old, it won’t be easy going for him. The club has already made a massive investment, knowing that they cannot afford to miss out on the Champions League places once again next season. It will be interesting to see how Ibrahimovic’s takes to the pace and physicality of the Premier League, whether he goes the way of Cantona and Van Persie, or becomes a flop like Columbian striker Radamel Falcao still remains to be seen.

Age

At 34 years of age, the Sweden international is entering the final phase of his career. If he was a goalkeeper, he would be perfect but he is a striker and at that age, there are fears that he might not have enough fuel left in his tank to produce what one has come to expect from him. Ibrahimovic has never been one to do much running but that is also due to the speed of the game in the leagues he has previously player in. However Premier league will be fast and ferocious, he will be expected to create space for himself and track back with the team to help out defensively. If he does not get off to a good start, the pressure might just get to him, which will lead to him become a liability just like Falcao was.

Burn Out

Ibrahimovic is no spring chicken, he has been the main man for whichever team he has played for all his career, last season he racked up a massive 56 appearances for his club and country. Due to the currently ongoing Euro 2016, he hasn’t had much of a summer break. There will be massive fears amongst the United backroom staff regarding his fitness and fatigue level. He will also not enjoy a winter break in the Premier League, which could lead to a burnout in the first half of the campaign itself.

Fans

Manchester United fans have gotten used to success at Old Trafford, however the last three have only brought in disappointments even though they did win the FA Cup last year. They have been left frustrated with a number of big money signing who have failed miserably during their time United, therefore they won’t have much patience with Zlatan too. He will be expected to get going from day one, otherwise United faithful might see him as someone blocking the path of talented youngsters, who represent the true ideology of the club.