FOOTBALL NEWS: The Spain international and Manchester United’s attacking midfielder Juan Mata has recently admitted in an interview that former Swedish international Zlatan Ivrahimovic has brought 'banter' and the right 'mentality' to the Manchester United’s dressing room.
The former Swedish international and former PSG’s star striker Ibrahimovic, who has more 400 career goals has completed his move to the Old Trafford this summer and right now he is United's top scorer this term with eight goals in 17 games, and has only missed one match – the 4-1 Europa League win over Fenerbahce last month.
And has been praised regularly by the Portugal man and current United’s manager Jose Mourinho for his influence on the younger players at Old Trafford.
But along with Mourinho, the attacking midfielder of Manchester United Juan Mata believes that Ibrahimovic's dressing-room "banter" has been a huge benefit to Manchester United this season.
According to Mata, the 35-year-old Ibrahimovic's attitude among his teammates has been a breath of fresh air during an inconsistent campaign for the club.
As Mata said in an interview with talk SPORT,
"He has brought a lot of things to the team, not just his mentality, but his way of understanding football, his way of behaving with the players in the dressing room,"
"He is always pushing buttons in the right moment and in the right way trying to motivate everyone and he is a very funny guy so he is a very good addition for the team.
"He is always joking, always doing banter and pushing the buttons in the right moment in the right way to the right persons. It is good for the dressing room, this character."
The 28-year-old Mata also believes that the former PSG and Swedish star boasts attributes that make him unique in the modern game.
As Mata concluded,
"It is very difficult to have all the things that he has,"
"When people say this is the next [Lionel] Messi, or the next Cristiano [Ronaldo], or the next Ibrahimovic, or the next [Wayne] Rooney, or whoever it is, it is very difficult because they are one of a kind.”
"He has great physical strength combined with great quality, great flexibility, great movement and reading of the game, so he has almost everything.”
"He has as well a strong personality, which has helped him a lot through the years. He says all the time that he really feels it his mentality that sets him apart.”
"I am very happy that he is here because I am always happy to play with great players during my career and obviously he is one of the best strikers in the game." He concluded.