Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s announcement that he has signed a new contract at Old Trafford has brought nothing but positive press and continued to maintain the feel good factor at the club, following what has been an impressive start to the season. I must be the only football fan around that believes it is a terrible move for the club – especially as I believe it will be detrimental to the progress of Marcus Rashford.

Ibrahimovic had an impressive season last year and played a big part in the delivery of silverware in Jose’s maiden campaign at the club. He was United’s talisman prior to his injury; however, his absence from the first team subsequently saw the next phase in the development of Rashford – who more than seized his opportunity and took on the striking mantle with relative aplomb.

In the same way that Harry Kane has become the leading light at Tottenham, I honestly felt that he would be our equivalent and the no.1 choice in the striking role. Mourinho’s decision to bring in Lukaku (although early form suggests this was correct) became a subsequent obstacle to his progress; however, Zlatan’s arrival is merely another obstacle in the striking role that Rashford simply doesn’t need.

Whilst others will argue that Rashford is versatile and can play from the flanks, the bottom line is that he remains that an out an out centre forward will always be his best position. The more he is having to adapt his role to accommodate the likes of Zlatan and Lukaku – the further he is away from fulfilling his potential to become the best striker in the country. I am at a loss to understand this transfer and feel that Mourinho is simply killing his progress.

I fully understand Jose’s reasoning, as he is under pressure to deliver a title challenge – after last season’s woeful attempts. In Zlatan he has his insurance policy if Lukaku gets injured, or is out of form, but I do wonder what a negative impact it will have on Rashford’s psyche that his isn’t trusted to lead the line at Old Trafford.

The sad thing is that there isn’t a team in the country that he wouldn’t be in the starting lineup of – if given the opportunity – and I fear the longer he is made to feel a spare part at Old Trafford he may in time start to look elsewhere.

In short Zlatan was a transfer we didn’t need and one that may ultimately have a negative impact in time.