Zlatan Ibrahimovic jokes about Manchester United team-mate Eric Bailly no longer being able to 'run away' from him as he closes in on return from long-term knee injury

• e-mail

Zlat's back... and here is the picture to prove it.

Manchester United have been without striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic for the entire season after the Swede damaged knee ligaments in April but signs are he is nearing full fitness.

Ibrahimovic has rarely been seen at United's Carrington training ground since penning a new contract in the summer but he is now on the cusp of a comeback and the photo he shared to social media on Tuesday will give fans hope that he could make a miracle return before the end of the year.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic poses with Manchester United team-mates Eric Bailly and David de Gea

Ibrahimovic made a joke about Bailly being able to run away from him in an August video

Posing alongside Eric Bailly and David de Gea in front of the lockers at the AON Training Complex, Ibra looked in good shape as he closes in on competitive action once again.

In the caption of the photo shared to his Instagram account, he wrote 'now he cant run away' in a light-hearted reference to a video from August in which Bailly kicks his team-mate before scampering out of the room.

The veteran forward's recovery from the injury he sustained in a Europa League clash with Anderlecht has been rapid, particularly given early diagnoses suggested he would be sidelined for a year.

Ibrahimovic suffered meniscus and cruciate ligament damage and went under the knife under the supervision of top orthopaedic surgeon Dr Freddie Fu in Pittsburgh in May.

At the time, Fu predicted that the player would be able to 'play for many years' after the successful operation in the States. 

The Swedish striker is closing in on a return to full fitness after being out since April

Ibrahimovic signed a new contract at Manchester United in the summer despite his injury

'He's so healthy, so strong. Biologically, bone morphology, everything, is absolutely very healthy,' Fu told the China Morning Post.

Now, Ibra looks to be proving his doctor right. After a summer of solo training and rehab work, he coupled up with former United striker Andrew Cole in the gym and worked his way towards a return to the first-team squad.

Cole suggested Ibrahimovic would be looking at match action in the new year but there have been reports that the striker might pull on a red shirt before 2017 becomes 2018.

Last week, Jose Mourinho hinted that the frontman could be back ahead of the new year.

'Zlatan is here, under our control, working as I would expect, so, so hard, but he's not back in a week or a couple of weeks,' said Mourinho.

Jose Mourinho has indicated that his striker will be available again before the new year

Ibrahimovic had to watch the Europa League final on crutches after suffering ligament damage

'Let's let him take his time and be back in the right moment. Do I think he will be back in 2017? Yes I do, but it's just a feeling.'

The Red Devils manager will be keen for the chance to rotate Romelu Lukaku when Ibra returns.

'Without Zlatan we cannot rotate the striker, especially because Marcus Rashford is playing also in other positions,' he said recently.

'So until the moment we have Zlatan we cannot think about giving rest to our No 9 the same way we give in other positions. We cannot do that.' 

He picked up the knee problem during a game against Anderlecht in April