Manchester United have completed the impressive double signing of Bastian Schweinsteiger and Morgan Schneiderlin.
The Reds felt the loss of Michael Carrick whenever he was absent from the first team last season, and this is clearly an issue Louis van Gaal was eager to address during the summer. The Dutch coach knows Schweinsteiger from his time in charge of Bayern Munich, and had made him a priority once he learned that the 30-year-old was prepared to leave the Bundesliga champions.
It emerged as the weekend that United had agreed a fee of around £14million for the German international, who passed a medical and agreed personal terms on a three-year contract at Old Trafford. This brings an end his 17-year association with the Allianz Arena club, and he insists he would not have considering leaving Bayern for any other club but his new employers.
“I have thoroughly enjoyed my time at Bayern, it has been incredible and I didn’t take the decision to leave lightly,” he told the official club website. “Manchester United is the only club that I would have left Munich for. I feel ready for this new and exciting challenge in what I regard as the most competitive league in the world and I am looking forward to working with Louis van Gaal again.”
The capture of Schweinsteiger, who won eight league titles and one UEFA Champions League in Munich, was expected to put an end to United’s interest in Schneiderlin. However, in a swift move, the Reds had an offer of around £25million accepted by Southampton for the France international, who then passed his medical on Sunday before signing a five-year contract with the club.
“Once I learned United were interested in me, it was a very easy decision to make,” said the 25-year-old, who was also courted by both Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur. “I have enjoyed seven very happy years with Southampton and it’s a club that will always be in my heart. But the chance to be part of this squad to help this great club be successful was too good to miss.”
