Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho concedes Zlatan Ibrahimovic is facing the final period of his career.

Ibrahimovic made a return from a cruciate knee ligament injury earlier this season, sustained in April against Anderlecht, but hasn't played since Boxing Day after coming off at half-time against Burnley.

"I wish I was his manager when he was 29 at Inter Milan. We can't stop time, and for players time means a lot," Mourinho told reporters.

"Zlatan knows that. He knows that at the highest level he's in the last part of his career, but his dream, his desire, his fight was always to end at Manchester United his career at the highest level.

"And, using the words he repeats all the time, being ­useful for me, for the team, and that I think he can. He just needs to feel ­really happy with his knee, with his condition and that I think he can.

"As a leader in the dressing room, as a leader on the pitch, as a quality player on the pitch, I think he can do that, he deserves that and I'm here to try to help him do that."