Manchester: Jose Mourinho urged Manchester United fans to camp outside Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s house all night to convince the striker to extend his contract for another season.
Ibrahimovic’s late winner against Southampton took his goals tally to 20 in the past 22 games and 26 this season as he again rode to his team’s rescue before declaring himself the Special One.
The 35-year-old, a contender for player of the season, agreed a 12-month contract with United last summer with the option of another year.
He has yet to commit to the club for next season and Mourinho has encouraged fans to do all they can to convince the player to stay.
“I never bank for a player to play for me,” Mourinho said.
“One day Zlatan decided to go to Barcelona [from Internazionale] and [as the manager] I was very sad and did nothing to try to stop him.
“But, if needed, I think maybe United fans can go to the door of his house and stay there all night. We all want and believe that he is going to stay with us one more season.
“He won the game for us because he was outstanding. I was his manager [at Inter]. I know the potential. Only a silly player comes to England when he is 35 and with the successful career that Zlatan has. Only a silly player comes here if he doesn’t feel that he can do it. I don’t bring him here if he doesn’t want to come, if he’s not ready. Everything is from him, nothing from me.”
Mourinho anointed himself the Special One when unveiled as Chelsea manager in 2004 and Ibrahimovic talked about himself in similar terms after securing the 32nd trophy of his playing career.
“I came [here], that is special,” he said.
“I came to win and I am winning. I just have to keep going.
“You appreciate it more the older you get. In the beginning it is more like fun, you don’t realise what a trophy means. The older I get, the more I am surrounded by a winning mentality. It is all about winning, all about winning those trophies. “I think this is trophy No. 32 for me. Wherever I have gone I have won. I predicted what I’m doing now and what I will continue to do. Everything I thought would happen, has happened. I think the other ones didn’t see it.”
