The plate of chicken salad, with a little label that said ‘Zlatan’, lay on the canteen counter at Manchester United’s Aon Training Complex.

Staff had long since departed, the lights had been turned off and most of Jose Mourinho’s players had long since retired to their mansions.

But not the big Swede. First in, last out - that was Ibrahimovic’s routine. Such was his dedication that those who worked in United’s kitchen were under instructions to plate up his food and leave it on the top, because by the time he had finished on the practice fields and in the gym, there would be nobody left in the building to serve him. He often ate alone.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic's return to Manchester United is a surprise to no one at Old Trafford

Damaging his knee ligaments against Anderlecht, Ibrahimovic's season was instantly cut short

That drive and commitment is why few who work in the canteen are surprised that, four months after suffering a serious knee ligament injury which many thought had ended the 35–year-old’s stint in Manchester red, Ibrahimovic is on the verge of signing a new contract.

They are also not surprised over in the medical department. ‘They had never seen anything like it when Zlatan signed,’ a source told Sportsmail.

‘Players who come in undergo a number of tests so we can figure out what kind of shape they are in, what their training regime should look like and what diet will work best. Some players will come in and they will be the best we have seen in a certain category. Speed, for example. Zlatan came in and set multiple records across a variety of tests. Superhuman was the word some were using.’

But his remarkable recovery left Ibrahimovic comparing himself to King Kong on social media

Ibrahimovic dived straight back into action and recently pounded the kick bag in training

The surgeon who carried out Ibrahimovic’s operation at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine is not surprised, either. Word is that Dr Freddie Fu, who autographed his patient’s wounded leg, had ‘never seen a knee as strong’.

According to those with knowledge of the situation, Ibrahimovic’s type of injury often needs two surgeries. The striker is set to return to full health after just one.

His agent, Mino Raiola, has already gone on record to say that medical staff want to carry out further tests further down the line on Ibrahimovic’s ligaments. In other words, the recovery has gone quite well, thank you very much.

Following the understandable decision not to offer an injured player a new contract when his last deal expired in June, United said publicly that Ibrahimovic would remain at Carrington to carry out his rehabilitation.

Privately, doubts were expressed among certain quarters that the big man would return to football, let alone the club.

That sentiment was certainly not shared in the manager’s office or the dressing room. Mourinho was convinced that a player he had worked with before and whom he knew well, would pull it off.

Not long after his op Ibrahimovic was back in the gym testing his knee on resistance machines

Medical staff labelled Zlatan 'superhuman' - quite apt considering his recently released game

The touch will never disappear. Lions dont recover like humans. @azsportswear #itsnotaboutthegear A post shared by IAmZlatan (@iamzlatanibrahimovic) on May 31, 2017 at 11:15am PDT

ADIDAS CONFIDENT THE MAIN MAN WILL RETURN... United's kit sponsors Adidas are confident that Zlatan will pull on the famous red shirt again... so much so that they have made printing of the player's name an option on their American retail site. The arrival of Romelu Lukaku saw Zlatan's previous No 9 shirt reoccupied, though the site suggests the Swede will take up the No 10 this season, vacated by Wayne Rooney. Advertisement

According to some, the manager was so confident in Ibrahimovic’s recovery he wanted to offer him a new contract before any recovery had taken place.

Ibrahimovic’s locker was not cleared out. He remained an integral part of United’s bid for the Europa League trophy and celebrated with his teammates when Ajax were overcome in his native Sweden. Up until United’s departure for their US tour, he was a regular at Carrington, stunning staff with his determination.

The player has been working hard for the duration of the summer, setting up camp at a luxury Monaco gym named '39 Monte Carlo' where he has been undertaking gruelling workout sessions and training alongside fellow athletes - including two-time middleweight world champion boxer Hassan N'Dam.

It's not just Old Trafford staff expecting the return of the iconic Swede either, with players also alluding to his comeback. Taking to social media this week defender Eric Bailly posted a video showing himself fooling around with Ibrahimovic - kicking the striker in the dressing room before running off.

'Hope you're almost ready to return,' wrote Bailly, sensing the big personality of the 35-year-old is set to grace the United set up once again.

Sportsmail understands that a final decision is yet to be signed off, but Ibrahimovic’s return is viewed as something of a formality. His new deal is set to be on reduced terms from the staggering £367,640 -a-week he agreed when he joined United on a free transfer from Paris Saint-Germain in the summer of 2016.

A return to action in January is one the cards. Ibrahimovic’s record of 17 Premier League goals in 27 starts and 28 goals overall, has not been forgotten, along with his influence in the dressing room.

In the canteen, they are getting ready to leave out plates of chicken salad again.

Eric Bailly is expecting Ibrahimovic's return and recently uploaded a clip of the pair joking