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Ibrahimovic could have stayed at Man Utd but is now the new Beckham, says surgeon who fixed striker's knee

Zlatan Ibrahimovic could have stayed at Manchester United and played more next season, says Dr Freddie Fu, but has taken the decision to follow David Beckham’s lead in Major League Soccer.

After suffering knee ligament damage in April 2017, the Swedish striker was operated on by a renowned surgeon at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Centre.

Fu helped to nurse Ibrahimovic back to full health, with United prepared to offer him a new short-term deal after seeing him prove his fitness.

That has now been terminated, freeing the 36-year-old to head for the United States, but medics who have seen him close up believe he is still capable of turning out at the top level in Europe.