Want the latest Scottish sport news sent straight to your inbox? Join thousands of others who have signed up to our Record Sport newsletter. Subscribe Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

When Jose Mourinho began rebuilding Manchester United's attack he chose his centre forward carefully. The Premier League title will not be returned to Old Trafford by bettering one opponent, but it will also not be returned without besting Pep Guardiola.

By bringing Zlatan Ibrahimovic to Old Trafford, Mourinho brought a man he knows will go out of his way to put Manchester City's grand acquisition in his place.

Ibrahimovic is tall, physically imposing, more than content to operate as a solo centre-forward and scores goals by the bucket load. He fits the profile of a Mourinho front man, and comes with an immense desire to deliver.

"Zlatan is Zlatan,” says Mourinho. “He wins year after year. His goal record is absolutely amazing, his passion for the game is incredible, and it’s only possible with his passion and ambition, with his CV, to make the decision at this stage of his career, for the biggest challenge of his career.”

The manager's point is that Ibrahimovic, at 34, is ready to be the centre to attention at a huge club in the midst of a radical transformation, watched on by a media that has oft been quick to criticise him.

Then there is the added incentive of exacting revenge on Pep Guardiola , the coach who signed Ibrahimovic in the summer of 2009, only to turf him out of Barcelona following the darkest season of the Swede's career.

Guardiola has neither been forgiven, nor forgotten. Ibrahimovic describes the Catalan as a “spineless coward”, “the quiet little over-thinker, [who] tried to wreck me” in his autobiography.

When Mourinho goes head-to-head with Guardiola, he knows his centre forward will be at the summit of his game.

Ibrahimovic has evolved as a footballer since the 2008-9 campaign he spent with Mourinho , ending it as a Serie A champion and the division's leading scorer.

He is now a more technical player, someone who likes to drop back towards midfield to receive the ball, make a pass, then drive into the area to finish.

Mourinho always prepares his players to use three basic formations, and his decision on United's default shape will depend on how his new charges respond in pre-season. He is leaning, though, towards using a 4-2-3-1.

The four-man attack will station Ibrahimovic at centre-forward with Wayne Rooney operating behind him. Another new signing, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, will start on the right wing; last season's most accomplished arrival, Anthony Martial, from the left.

It's a forward line that contains the hallmarks of a Mourinho frontline.

(Image: AFP) (Image: REUTERS/Yves Herman)

Mourinho values movement and flexibility in his attacks, and this one should not be deficient. Mkhitaryan has great tactical intelligence, is comfortable playing anywhere across the second line, and knows exactly when to move inside to offer balance, or push wide to stretch an opponent's defence.

Martial is still growing as a footballer, but delivers pace, remarkably calm finishing, and an instinct for finding the route to goal.

When it comes to Rooney's role, the new manager had long since decided to end Van Gaal's experiment of starting him just ahead of the defence.

“With me he will never be a No 6, never playing 50 metres away from the goal,” explained Mourinho.

“You can tell me his pass is amazing, yes his pass is amazing, but my pass is also amazing without pressure. There are many players with a great pass but to be there and put the ball in the net is the most difficult thing to find.”

Starting with Sir Alex Ferguson , the Englishman lost mental discipline and physical condition under successive United managers. Had Ferguson not retired, Rooney would have been sold.

The 30-year-old now has the opportunity to take advantage of Mourinho's tactical guidance and the quality of assistant manager Rui Faria's physical conditioning programme. He'd be wise not to forsake it.

“I like to think I’m always motivated as a player,” said Rooney last week.

“But I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a bit more motivated when a new manager comes in. I’ve always respected him both as a man and a manager, he’s a nice guy and one of the most successful managers of all time.

I’ve played against many Mourinho sides over the years and I can’t remember any easy games.”

(Image: Reuters)

In Marcus Rashford, the Portuguese has a forward who has already operated at the highest level as a central striker, number 10 and left wing.

Mourinho rates Rashford highly, believes he can develop the 18-year-old into a still better player, and intends to use him to place pressure on the first-choice attack.

United's demanding fixture list will provide plenty of opportunity for Rashford to start. Mourinho's preference is to deploy continual limited rotation of the squad. At United, he envisages a core unit of 14 or 15 starters within an overall group of 20 outfield players and three goalkeepers.

At present his squad is badly over-manned. Daley Blind, Juan Mata, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Marcos Rojo have all been made available for sale, with Mourinho anxious that the club accelerates its efforts to find takers for the unwanted foursome.

There will be further departures, Mourinho deciding on who needs to exit depending on their attitude and performance in pre-season training.

When arriving at his previous clubs Mourinho has always attempted to minimise squad turnover in his first summer, preferring to back his training methods and man management to rehabilitate players who supporters would happily have seen depart.

In such disrepair is United's squad following Louis van Gaal's scatter-gun spending and confidence killing coaching, there is an acceptance that Mourinho will have to move more footballers than usual.

(Image: Action Images via Reuters)

To that end he is open to those who decide they'd prefer to be elsewhere or come to him with offers from other clubs.

There will, though, be some unexpected survivors. Mourinho intends to retain Marouane Fellaini, who can operate in multiple positions, offering height, physicality and experience.

Watch Jose's first press conference at Old Trafford

Video Loading Video Unavailable Click to play Tap to play The video will start in 8 Cancel Play now

Assuming United conclude a deal to bring Paul Pogba from Juventus, the midfield will be built around the France international's box-to-box dynamism.

Ander Herrera and Morgan Schneiderlin have the opportunity to establish themselves as Pogba's preferred partner. Michael Carrick, who'd been worn down by Van Gaal's management, has been given a new contract.

Yet much of the squad enters pre-season with a fight on their hands if they want to be part of the first-team squad. Memphis Depay, Adnan Januzaj, Andreas Pereira, Antonio Valencia, Guillermo Varela, James Wilson and Ashley Young are all amongst those who have to prove themselves.

Whoever makes the cut, they will end up playing more attacking, effective and enjoyable football. Mourinho will change United's day-to-day method, mentality, and tactics. His United have to be radically different; there is no other way.