Inter Milan coach Jose' Mourinho on Monday vowed to keep star striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic at the Serie A champions and leaders.
''I will persuade Ibrahimovic to stay at Inter,'' Mourinho told reporters after picking up an honorary degree at his alma mater, Lisbon University.
The coach said Ibrahimovic's evident moodiness despite his two goals in Inter's 3-0 win against Reggina Sunday was ''more an external thing than (something from) inside the locker room''.
Mourinho denied that the Swede was still unhappy after criticism of his performance in Inter's Champions League elimination at Manchester United two weeks ago.
The Portuguese coach, who is famed for his man management, said he was sure 'Ibra' was still ''very motivated after Manchester''.
''I understand his frustration,'' said Mourinho of the Swedish star whose failure to turn the match Inter's way added to past criticism that he is not at his best in high-stakes games.
''But we're all disappointed by the elimination''.
Mourinho assured reporters that ''relations with Ibra are excellent'' and stressed that ''all I'm looking out for is the player's welfare''.
The former Porto and Chelsea boss also said his talismanic striker, whose delightful second goal against Reggina put him joint top of the Serie A marksmen's standings, ''would now have the extra stimulus of winning the top scorers' prize''.
A brusque Ibrahimovic was clearly out of sorts after the Reggina game, complaining of ''a stomach ache''.
''I hope we win the scudetto but then we'll have to see,'' he said.
''See what?'' he was asked.
''Everything,'' he replied.
Pressed by a Sky reporter about the alleged pains in his midriff, he said: ''I get a stomach ache every time I see you''.
Inter Chairman Massimo Moratti also commented on the 'stomach ache' Monday.
''He was just angry as I was after Manchester,'' said Moratti, who was reported to have lost his temper at a number of missed chances at Old Trafford.
''It's just ambition,'' the big-spending owner said.
But he added: ''It's not so easy to choose a team that is sure to win the Champions League. Ibra might go somewhere else and Inter might win the Champions League. Sometimes you change and then you're sorry.
''In any case it's not a question of cash nor any dislike for the team''.
Asked what price the Swedish centre forward would have if he decided to leave the club, Moratti replied:
''Everyone has a price and if he opted to go he'd have one too. We haven't got any appointment (to talk about a move) at the end of the season''.
But Moratti said he agreed with Mourinho that ''the team is more important than any player''.
