Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has refused to commit to a return date for striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic after he signed a new one-year-deal with the club.
The Swede, who saw his maiden season at Old Trafford cut short with a knee injury against Celta Vigo, was released in June but will return to bolster United’s squad for the second-half of the season.
Mourinho, however, is keeping an open mind with regard to exactly when Ibrahimovic might be fit for selection again, although the suggestion on Friday was he does not envisage being able to call upon him until the New Year.
"He will not be ready for the group phase of the Champions League, I don't think there is any chance of that," Mourinho said.
"Do we have space in the Champions League list to have him? Yes. So we don't need to leave any player outside of the list.
"But I'm not thinking (of) Zlatan to play any part in the group phase."
When then pushed for what he regarded as a realistic estimate of when Ibrahimovic might be available again, Mourinho said: "I don't want to think about it. I don't even ask.
"I don't speak with him about it or with the medical team. I just think he will be an extra man for us in the second part of the season.
"When I say second part, normally we say January, after Christmas.
"But I have no idea at all and I think the right way is not even to think or speak about it and just let him do his work step by step and come back when he's ready."
Additional reporting by the Press Association.
