Jose Mourinho has said that it will be “very difficult” for Bastian Schweinsteiger to play for Manchester United again.
A source told ESPN FC on Tuesday that the club do not want to keep the player, despite it being reported that he was happy to stay at United. And on Wednesday, the 32-year-old German released a statement saying that United “will be my last club in Europe”.
When asked in his news conference on Friday about whether Schweinsteiger could have an opportunity, Mourinho said: “I think it’s very difficult to happen.
“I’m not saying it’s impossible, I’m saying its very difficult because we have made a decision made about [Paul] Pogba, [Ander] Herrera, [Morgan] Schneiderlin, [Marouane] Fellaini and [Michael] Carrick.
“We have five players for two positions, so it’s very difficult for an opportunity to arise.”
Mourinho also aimed a jibe at Bayern Munich, whose president Karl-Heinz Rummenigge had criticised United’s handling of Schweinsteiger. The Bayern president had said that he could not believe how United had treated the player and claimed that it would put players off from joining United.
Mourinho said: “I thought, when I read some quotes from people at Bayern Munich, that they would run to Manchester to bring him back, but no, that didn’t happen. I’m quite surprised Karl-Heinze Rummennigge is not here to take him back.”
Discussing what course of action Schweinsteiger should take, Mourinho said: “I cannot answer for him. It’s his life, his career. He has a contract with Man United. He has a right to make that decision and stay, so that’s not a problem for us.
“Football is made of decisions. I did that all my career. Not just me, everyone does, but some players react in a different way.
“To be honest, Bastian is not speaking a lot. He gave his last statement, which he is completely free to make, in an objective way, like he did.”
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