5 players who can inherit Zlatan's number 10 jersey at Manchester United

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The Swedish striker has left the club after a successful 20 month period.

Manchester United announced on Thursday that they have terminated the contract of Zlatan Ibrahimovic with immediate effect.

The 36-year-old suffered a cruciate ligament injury in the Europa League knockouts in April, 2017. He made an astonishing comeback later in 2017, but could not sustain the pressure on his repaired ligament.

Now that the legendary Swede has departed from the club, the iconic number 10 needs to be worn by someone worthy of it.

That said, here is a list of players who could inherit the number #10 jersey at Old Trafford.


#5 Angel Gomes

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Gomes impressed at the U-17 World Cup, India.

Angel Gomes is a player Jose Mourinho cannot afford to ignore for a long time. The player was instrumental in England's U-17 World Cup victory in 2017.

The English midfielder is capable of playing on either wings and behind the striker in the number 10 role. His positioning and attributes make him fit enough to inherit the jersey donned by Wayne Rooney and Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

His pace and creativity make him the man to watch out for on the pitch. However, a lot of work still needs to be done on the 17-year-old.

If United do not give him enough opportunities, he could be looking for a new club and the Red Devils would not be able to get him back for anything close to £89 million.

#4 Julian Draxler

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Draxler has showcased his quality with PSG.

Julain Draxler was among the bright crop of young talent sold by Wolfsburg in recent years. The German midfielder moved to PSG in January, 2017.

However, the player has found it difficult to break into the first XI because of the star-studded attack boasted by the French giants.

Reports suggest that the player could be leaving the French capital soon in search of game time.

His passing and vision to open the defences is what makes him invaluable to any team. United should try to bring in the player this summer, given their woes in attack where they have struggled to show any purpose.

The 23-year-old would ideally be suited to wear the number 10 at the club if Jose decides to lure the German to Old Trafford.

#3 James Rodriguez

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James is on a loan spell with Bayern.

The injustice done to James by Real Madrid since signing him in 2014 left their fans furious. Their woes doubled when the Columbian was loaned to Bayern for a period of two-years.

In his first season in Bundesliga, he has announced himself in style. The player is in scintillating form in 2017/18 and has been the key to his side's attack.

He has scored 4 goals and created another nine in his 27 appearances for the German champions so far.

Reports have constantly linked him with a move to the Premier League. Teams like Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester United are understood to be interested in the player.

James is the one to wear the number #10 at the Theater of Dreams.

#2 Paulo Dybala

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Dyabala is certainly the heir to Lionel Messi for Argentina.

Paulo Dybala is a name which needs absolutely no introduction at the moment. The Argentinian is probably the hottest prospect in Europe at the moment.

Dybala, known as Messi's successor, has proven his credentials and caught the attention of all the elite clubs across Europe.

The 24-year-old is in sublime form for Juventus and impressed in his audition on English soil against Spurs in the round-of-16 of the Champions League.

He has scored 21 goals while providing for another five in all competitions this season. If reports are to be believed Manchester United, Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid are heavily targeting him for this summer.

The dividends gained by the club from this signing would be sensational. Therefore, it is not even worth an argument - the #10 jersey should be given to Dybala if he signs for United.

#1 Marcus Rashford

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The forward has been impressive to watch recently.

The current crop of young talent at Manchester United is simply amazing. Marcus Rashford is yet another name which has become a fan-favorite in absolutely no time.

The Englishman was handed an unexpected debut by Louis Van Gaal in 2015 and he shook the English football with his performances.

He has become the man for the big occasions as his goals contributed to United's victories against Arsenal, Manchester City, Chelsea and Liverpool.

The 20-year-old has scored 12 goals and assisted nine in all competitions this season. Reports are there which link him with a move away from Old Trafford.

However, it would be nearly impossible for any team to snatch such an important player from Jose's team any time soon.

United should well be looking to offer him a new contract so as to inflate his release clause. Moreover, with Jose not looking to make any additions to his attack, Rashford is the team's best bet to wear the number 10 in the future.

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Edited by Zeeshan Ali
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