LA Galaxy striker also discusses former United team-mates Paul Pogba and Wayne Rooney, as well as his Major League Soccer career
Wednesday 28 August 2019 09:46, UK
Zlatan Ibrahimovic believes he could easily still play in the Premier League and joked he would return to Manchester United if they needed him.
It is 17 months since the 37-year-old Swede left Old Trafford for Los Angeles, with his brace in Sunday's thrilling 3-3 draw with rivals LAFC taking his tally to 46 goals in 49 appearances.
Ibrahimovic has had to fight back from serious knee ligament damage, an injury that brought an abrupt halt to a superb first season at United, where his 28-goal haul helped them win the Europa League and the EFL Cup.
He would only make a further seven appearances in his second season before heading to the United States, where he continues to keep a close eye on his former club United.
"I could play easy in the Premier League, so if United need me, I'm here," he said with a grin. "But Galaxy has me, so I'm sorry.
"Nah, I did my job in Europe. I enjoyed it, I have 33 trophies that I brought with me here and hopefully I can get something here. And then we will see where that adventure finishes."
United could certainly have done with Ibrahimovic's cutting edge at the weekend as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side fell to a galling 2-1 home defeat to Crystal Palace.
"I look, I look, I look," he added. "I saw the last game and I think they were unlucky. If they score the penalty, it's a different game but a game in England is not finished until its finished.
"Anything can happen, especially in the last minutes where everything is in the heat of the moment."
United will be hoping there is no late sting in the tail regarding Paul Pogba as the European transfer window comes to a close.
Subject of speculation and scrutiny over the summer after admitting that he would be open to a new a challenge, Ibrahimovic recently said the midfielder should be allowed to leave if he wants to go.
Asked if he keeps in contact with his former United team-mate Pogba, Ibrahimovic said: "I speak with him. A lot of advice I give - but nothing I share with you!"
One former team-mate definitely on the move is Wayne Rooney. An impressive force in MLS for DC United, England and United's all-time top scorer will join Derby as player-coach in January.
"No, I'm not surprised [that he's going back]," Ibrahimovic added. "Absolutely not.
"I think he came, he tried, he did his best and, yeah, he had patience. You need a lot of patience and it has finished, the patience. I mean, my deal is until December 31. What happens afterwards I don't know.
"I'm in a different position than Wazza. Wazza is much younger than me. I am old but still dominating, still making the difference. Let's see what happens. I have to be feeling good physically."
Ibrahimovic is fully focused on taking the Galaxy into the play-offs and onto what he hopes will be a league crown in a fifth country.
"I think MLS is an exciting league," the striker, who turns 38 in October, said. "It's a growing league - a lot of things to come in place.
"New teams coming in. I mean, you have teams playing away for half the season and then they play at home because the stadium was not done. There's a lot of things happening.
"I enjoy it but there is a lot of things to become better, to come up in level, which it will time by time. We're in the US, where nothing is impossible."
Ibrahimovic believes MLS requires a few changes to fulfil its undoubted potential, nodding towards things like air travel and budgets.
"I think it will take time [to become a major soccer force] but they have all the possibilities they can," he added.
"But there is a lot of rules here with the budget. I mean, you saw Rooney, he tweeted something with the travelling. It's not easy all those things."
