Zlatan Ibrahimović has admitted that joining Manchester United in the summer was a step down from Paris Saint-Germain and that playing under Jose Mourinho was his main reason for signing.
The Sweden captain has quickly become a fans favourite at Old Trafford since his summer transfer from PSG, but his latest interview suggests that he is not finding it easy to adapt playing with a weaker side.
United’s 1-1 draw with rivals Arsenal on Saturday has left them in sixth spot, with just one win in their last six games.
Ibrahimović has revealed that it has been a tough task to play in the Premier League but that was also a challenge that he wanted to take on initially.
“The team I signed for this summer is not as strong as the one I left,” he told Aftonbladet.
“But when Mourinho called, the decision was easy.
“When he calls I have no problem coming, all we had to decide was when I was to be presented as Man U player. The rest, the financial deal, was not the difficult part.
“It was about the challenge really, and I will never say no to a challenge. This is what I wanted; coming to one of the world’s biggest clubs, that has had troubles and not won much of late, and try the Premier League. That is the challenge.”
The 35-year-old and United now seem unlikely to meet their objectives this season, with them being nine points adrift of current Premier League table toppers Chelsea.
Ibrahimović is also considering his next move after life at the Theatre of Dreams, and has hinted that he would like to play in the Major League Soccer in the United States next.
He said: “It’s a huge option for me, for the football and everything else.
“I can see myself conquering the US as I have with Europe.
“Lots of people stay in one place throughout their career, but I’ve travelled around like Napoleon, and conquered every new country where I’ve set foot.
“So perhaps I should do what Napoleon didn’t and cross the Atlantic and conquer the States as well.”
By Drew Darbyshire (@DarbySports)
