Lukaku has since taken on the No.9 shirt following a £75 million move from Everton, but Ibrahimovic insists that he considers taking 10 to be an upgrade after agreeing to a new one-year contract at Old Trafford.
Ibrahimovic is delighted to have agreed fresh terms with United and insists that he is relishing the opportunity to work alongside Lukaku and compete with the burly Belgian for regular starting spots.
He told ESPN FC: "Lukaku called me and said: 'Bro, can I get the No. 9 shirt?'.
"I said: 'I'm not on that level that I will make it difficult for you, I just want you to feel happy and feel welcome, so I give you the No. 9 but I will take the No. 10.' That's the way we do it.
"So I never left, I just upgraded my number."
