Bastian Schweinsteiger is back in first-team training.
The Manchester United midfielder has endured a rough few months at the club since Jose Mourinho was appointed manager. Schweinsteiger has been banished from the first-team, made train with the reserves, and appeared to be merely biding his time until the January transfer window offered an escape route.
The 32-year-old, signed last summer from Bayern Munich, struggled for form and fitness last season, and Jose Mourinho also made it clear when he became manager that there was no place for the player in his squad.
“I think it’s very difficult to happen. I’m not saying it’s impossible. I’m saying it’s very difficult,” Mourinho said in August, when asked what chance Schweinsteiger had of returning to the first-team.
“We have a decision completely made about Paul Pogba, Ander Herrera, Morgan Schneiderlin, Marouane Fellaini and Michael Carrick. We have five players for two positions. It’s very difficult that an opportunity will arrive.”
Well, it appears that opportunity has arrived, despite reports over the weekend claiming Mourinho had prevented the midfielder from playing for the United reserves or any of the club’s teams.
Manchester United’s Twitter accountBack to work for #MUFC! pic.twitter.com/laCEkCnqOc
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) October 31, 2016
The German World Cup winning midfielder trained with the United first-team for the first time this season on Monday morning. It’s unclear whether Schweinsteiger’s return to training will also mean a return to the first-team matchday squads, but at least now he has a chance to show his worth to Mourinho.
Even if he doesn’t kick a ball again for United in match, things are looking a lot more positive for the German now than they were last week, when he wasn’t even included in United’s annual team photograph.
Joe Riley and Axel Tuanzebe, two United reserve players, were also training with the first-team on Monday, so it’s possible Schweinsteiger’s return is related to Mourinho including fringe members of the squad for Thursday’s Europa League game away to Fenerbahce.
Riley and Tuanzebe also in #mufc training. Maybe Mourinho will prioritise Premier League by sending fringe players to Istanbul.
— Samuel Luckhurst (@samuelluckhurst) October 31, 2016
Either way, United fans will be happy to see the end of Schweinsteiger’s banishment from the first-team squad.
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