Zlatan Ibrahimovic impressed last term before suffering a season-ending injury (Picture: Getty)

Manchester United are hopeful that returning striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic could be available in time for the club’s hectic festive period.

The Sweden legend’s impressive debut season in England was cut short after he suffered cruciate ligament damage to his right knee in April.

Ibrahimovic had scored 28 goals in 46 games for United up to that point, helping Jose Mourinho win the EFL Cup and progress to the latter stages of the Europa League.

The 35-year-old signed a new one-year deal at Old Trafford last week and following the confirmation Mourinho played down suggestions that the striker could return sooner than expected.

The Portuguese boss claimed he would not have Ibrahimovic back at his disposal until January but the veteran has impressed the physiotherapists with his recovery and could hand Mourinho a huge boost over the festive period.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BXnQyfSg9Cy/?taken-by=iamzlatanibrahimovic

The 35-year-old has signed a new one-year deal at Old Trafford (Picture: Getty)

While he will not take any unnecessary risks to force a quicker return, the Daily Telegraph say he is in contention for United’s festive programme, when they play four Premier League games within the space of 10 days.

Man Utd fixtures over Christmas

West Brom (A) – Sat 23 Dec

Burnley (H) – Tue 26 Dec

Southampton (H) – Sat 30 Dec

Everton (A) Mon 1 Jan

Juan Mata, the Manchester United and Spain midfielder, admits Ibrahimovic’s return will be a timely boost for the squad: ‘It’s great, obviously everyone knows Zlatan and what he can give us, his personality on and off the pitch, his goals.

‘He can be a boost for us after this first part of the season, hopefully he can join soon, recover quick and give us a lot of goals in the second part of the league.

Juan Mata is delighted by the striker’s return (Picture: Getty)

‘He is very confident about himself, he can give us this confidence he has and on the pitch he’s a big presence for the rivals and when he’s in the box he scores with head, both feet and he’s a great addition.

‘The first thing is that he can recover 100 per cent and quick and the second thing is I think he can be very important for us in our objective of fighting for the title.’

Speaking about Ibrahimovic’s return and his chances of breaking straight back into the first-team, Mourinho said last week: ‘Zlatan knows me and he knows that I play the players that I think are best for the team.

Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho (Picture: Getty)

‘I have always done that. So if he comes here and he proves he is the best, he plays. If the other ones don’t give him a chance to prove that… that is life.

‘But I try always to be honest with my players and with my team. Maybe sometimes I don’t always do the correct things but I try.’

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