Zlatan Ibrahimovic has made up his mind and is keen to rejoin Manchester United this season. The 35-year-old is continuing his rehabilitation programme after the cruciate ligament injury suffered against Anderlecht in April but has told José Mourinho he would like to play again for the club he joined in 2016 from Paris Saint-Germain.

Mourinho is open to the idea of the striker being a part of United’s squad and it is now up to the Swede to prove his fitness. A new short-term contract would also have to be agreed but it is understood both parties are keen to compromise in order to conclude a deal to prolong Ibrahimovic’s Old Trafford career.

Ibrahimovic, who will be 36 in October, scored 28 goals last season and was by far the club’s most prolific goalscorer. United have signed Romelu Lukaku for £75m this summer and would not need Ibrahimovic to lead the line in the way he did but feel, with a Champions League campaign coming up, that he would add cover for Lukaku, Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial.

Mourinho hinted on the eve of the Super Cup against Real Madrid in Skopje, which United lost 2-1, that the former Juventus, Milan and PSG striker could rejoin the club this season. “Maybe he’ll stay with us,” Mourinho said. “He’s not got a contract but he’s still close to Manchester and the fact we are involved in the Super Cup now is also his merit.”

United, who start their Premier League campaign at home to West Ham on Sunday, have also signed Victor Lindelof from Benfica and Nemanja Matic from Chelsea but have been frustrated in their pursuit of the Internazionale winger Ivan Perisic.