Manchester United could face a challenge from AC Milan in their efforts to tie Zlatan Ibrahimovic to a new contract.

Ibrahimovic was not offered a new deal by United at the end of last season after suffering a cruciate knee ligament injury in April that is likely to rule him out of action until Christmas.

But Mourinho has admitted United could re-sign the 35-year-old Swede in time for him to play in the second half of the season, although the Manchester club may now face competition from Ibrahimovic’s former club Milan.

Milan have spent more than £160 million this summer as the club’s new Chinese owners set about rebuilding the squad and have been linked with a series of strikers, including Torino’s Andrea Belotti, Diego Costa at Chelsea and Nikola Kalinic, of Fiorentina.

But it is understood the Italian club are considering a move for Ibrahimovic, who scored 56 goals in 85 games at the San Siro between 2010-12, the first season of which was on loan from Barcelona.