The ink is barely dry on Zlatan Ibrahimovic's new one-year deal at Old Trafford and already the Manchester United striker is threatening to have players dropped if they don't assist him.
OK, so the Swedish striker was joking when he made the gag about Henrikh Mkhitaryan, but Ibrahimovic was not joking when he named the Armenian playmaker as the player who will be the most important to United's season, over the next nine months.
In an interview with ESPN, Ibrahimovic revealed that the former Borussia Dortmund man would be integral to United's chances of success during the current campaign and claimed that the Armenian may not get the publicity of some of his more famous teammates because he doesn't hail from a bigger country.
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"I think this season will be the season of Mkhitaryan.
"Last season he struggled a little bit in the beginning, then he came up when he started to play and this season he has opened the season fantastic.
After a slow start to life at Old Trafford, Mkhitaryan has quickly become one of United's most important players: Image: PA
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"People underestimate him because he doesn't have the name like the other ones in the world, it could be because he comes from a small country like he comes from but this year he will get the credit he deserves and the quality that he is. My bet is on Mkhitaryan.
"If he doesn't provide me he will not play [laughs]. I'm joking!"
Mkhitaryan has already laid on four assists in two games for United, this season. Image: PA
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Ibrahimovic is currently recovering from the ACL injury that brought a premature end to his debut season at Old Trafford, in April. The former PSG and Barcelona star has been making significant progress in his recovery, however, and is rumoured to be closer to a return than was originally expected.
The 35-year-old striker arrived at Old Trafford last summer to a tidal wave of publicity, but also a fair amount of cynicism, too, with plenty of doubters wondering whether the former Sweden captain, at 35 years of age, would be able to handle the Premier League.
Ibrahimovic promptly scored 17 goals in 28 league games and 28 in all competitions to silence his doubters once and for all.
This season, however, the Swede may have to setle for a more rotational role in Jose Mourinho's first team, with £75 million summer arrival Romelu Lukaku making a ferocious start to life at Old Trafford, scoring four goals in his first three competitive games for the club.
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(H/T Goal)
Topics: Football, Manchester United, Zlatan Ibrahimovic