Zlatan Ibrahimovic is not allowed travel to Manchester

Sweden manager Erik Hamren: ‘It would not be okay for Zlatan to fly to Manchester’

Sweden’s forward and team captain Zlatan Ibrahimovic during a training session in Saint-Nazaire. Photograph: Getty Images
Sweden’s forward and team captain Zlatan Ibrahimovic during a training session in Saint-Nazaire. Photograph: Getty Images

Zlatan Ibrahimovic's potential move to Manchester United looks to be on hold for the time being after Sweden boss Erik Hamren stressed it "would not be okay" for the striker to fly to England at the moment.

Ibrahimovic is with the Sweden squad in France preparing for their Euro 2016 opener against the Republic of Ireland on Monday.

The 34-year-old, who is leaving Paris St Germain this summer at the end of his contract, has been heavily linked with United.

Reports a week ago suggested the Old Trafford outfit were close to signing him and on Tuesday Ibrahimovic himself, having been asked about it directly, refused to confirm whether or not he was set to join United, adding: “You will have to have patience.”

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Now Hamren has had his say on the speculation surrounding the frontman.

Quoted by Swedish newspaper Goteborgs-Posten, he said: “Players have their leisure time on the schedule — there’s nothing I can control.

“But it would not be okay for Zlatan to fly to Manchester.”

Hamren also emphasised his confidence the speculation will not have a negative impact on Ibrahimovic or any of the rest of the Sweden squad.

He added: “I’m 100 percent sure it will not affect Zlatan. He has been in the business a long time.

“I understand there is a lot of Zlatan media. Not only in Sweden. I understand that.

“But with us, it is nothing. He handles it perfectly. The players are familiar with it.

“You can be calm — there is nothing that has affected us negatively in the group. Absolutely nothing.”