Ilkay Gundogan Urges United To Give Schweinsteiger A Chance
Reuters / Phil Noble
Manchester City midfielder Ilkay Gundogan has slammed Manchester United for their ‘disrespectful’ treatment of Bastian Schweinsteiger.
The 32-year-old was deemed surplus to requirements by Jose Mourinho, who told him that he had no future at Old Trafford.
Schweinsteiger signed for United only a year ago, but suffered a woeful first season at the club. His performances drew criticism from fans as well as the media, as he struggled to get to grips with the fast and physical Premier League.
The German still has two years left on his contract, and has been given permission by Mourinho to see out the deal, despite confirming that it is highly unlikely that Schweinsteiger will ever play for the club again.
Despite his struggles with niggling injuries last season, Ilkay Gundogan – who was once heavily linked with a switch to the Theatre of Dreams himself – believes United would definitely benefit from a fully fit Schweinsteiger.
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“I believe that Manchester United could 100 percent benefit from a fit Bastian Schweinsteiger,” said Gundogan.
“If everything you hear and read is true, you can consider it disrespectful. He’s not just some player, and also not only 18 or 19.”
The 25-year-old has been tipped to succeed Schweinsteiger in the German National team, following the latter’s retirement from the International game.
REUTERS/Wolfgang Rattay
Gundogan added: “I trusted myself to do that before [Schweinsteiger’s retirement], but this has nothing to do with saying his retirement is positive or negative. We should be thankful that we had such a great player.”
Arsenal defender Per Mertesacker, who also retired from International football, has nailed Schweinsteiger’s situation down to ‘bad luck’, due to the sacking of van Gaal at the end of last season.
“It’s bad luck for him that he joined a club that has again changed its manager, and that the new manager does not want him,” the Arsenal captain told Kicker. “It can happen to you at any time in this business, and it’s a bit perverse, but Basti signed a good contract, and he knew where he was going.
“He just had bad luck with the way it worked out. He will draw his conclusions and I wish him all the best.”
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