Manchester United announced on Saturday that they had agreed a deal for German World Cup winning midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger, with the Bayern Munich legend the biggest in a series of recent arrivals at Old Trafford.
As Louis van Gaal continues to remodel his United squad with a return to challenging for trophies in mind, Schweinsteiger is a particularly eye-catching addition given his status in the game.
However, the 30-year-old has had his injury concerns and there are those who worry he will not find adaptation to the demands of the English Premier League easy at this point in his career.
Our #360debate today is: Will Bastian Schweinsteiger be a good signing for Manchester United?
Matthew Jones, reporter, thinks YES
Bastian Schweinsteiger is exactly the sort of player Manchester United need—world class in both his current ability and in his pedigree.
Schweinsteiger is a proven winner, typified by his World Cup success with Germany in Brazil last summer. Domestically, Schweinsteiger has won eight Bundesliga titles, seven German Cups and the 2013 Champions League.
A dynamic midfielder and natural leader, with 111 appearances for his country, fifth on the all-time list, and 536 club appearances, seventh on Bayern’s all-time list, Schweinsteiger could prove to be the closest thing yet to Roy Keane and at around £15m (Dh85.5m) he is being absolutely gift-wrapped to Louis van Gaal.
#mufc has reached an agreement with Bayern Munich to sign Bastian Schweinsteiger. More: http://t.co/NCru8O7KVU pic.twitter.com/DT8T5QYS4T
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) July 11, 2015
With the cost of today’s players rising to increasingly astronomical levels, the arrival of one of the best midfielders of his generation at a snippet represents a supremely shrewd piece of business.
Age and injury concerns are causing doubts. Critics will have you believe he is past it. He didn’t play for Bayern until November last season and when he did he found it difficult to oust Xabi Alonso.
But United’s midfield is not Bayern’s. A team lacking leaders since Ryan Giggs’ retirement and the departures of Rio Ferdinand, Patrice Evra and Nemanja Vidic is crying out for a player of Schweinsteiger’s ilk.
Despite his injuries, he notched five goals and eight assists in 28 games last term. If he’s past it, Van Gaal needs to sign a few more players like him.
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Despite an indifferent season, United are back in the Champions League. The swagger of the Sir Alex Ferguson era remains to be rediscovered and they still looked a quality player or two short of being able to challenge for the title.
Schweinsteiger’s arrival suddenly changes that outlook. He will be reunited with Van Gaal – the man who transformed him from an erratic wide player into all-conquering midfielder. If the rekindling of that relationship proves to be half as fruitful, United could be on their way back to the top.
Alex Rea, reporter, thinks NO
Bastian Schweinsteiger’s move to Manchester United is a risk. A calculated risk but a risk all the same. Even a Bayern Munich legend recognises that.
“I would advise him not to go to England. The challenge, at his age, it’s not what he needs.”
Franz Beckenbauer is right. When the Premier League season kicks off, Schweinsteiger will be 31. At that age, the Germany captain will find it even more challenging to adapt to the rigours of English football – and his injury record of late is deeply concerning.
Morgan Schneiderlin arrived into Carrington five-minutes after Bastian Schweinsteiger this evening. Medical done, now a #MUFC player.
— Craig Norwood (@CraigNorwood) July 12, 2015
Since 2010 his Bundesliga starts read; 31, 18, 27, 22 and 15. That’s a clear indication of a man in decline and last year German daily Bild wrote his “time is coming to an end”. Were it not for injuries to Thiago, Philipp Lahm and Javi Martinez last season, he’d have played even less.
In all, he featured in 28 games; his lowest since breaking into the Munich first team 13 years ago. And if Pep Guardiola found ‘Schweini’s’ slower style of moving the ball around not quite fast enough for him, then how can he thrive in a league well renowned for it’s high intensity?
The stats show he can’t play in every game and there is also Euro 2016 to contemplate where he will captain Germany.
Considering the 30-year-old struggled immeasurably after last year’s World Cup – he did not play for Bayern until November due to a knee and ankle injuries, which required injections throughout the season – the second year of his three at United could well be a write off.
The Bundesliga suited him better, too. In Germany, teams play 34 matches instead of 38 and they have a six-week Christmas break. Schweinsteiger, at Bayern all his professional life, has never contended with the Premier League’s festive demands and, at this stage of his career, it is doubtful he can deal with it.
Both he and United would have been wise to listen to Beckenbauer: “I would play one or two more years in Munich and then, if he still feels like playing, he can make a step back and maybe go to the USA.”
