www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/manchester-united/11733380/Bastian-Schweinsteiger-joining-Man-Utd-sends-out-a-bold-message.htmlThere will be those who dismiss Manchester United’s imminent capture of German international Bastian Schweinsteiger as the signing of a Bayern Munich cast off, who will leave his best years behind him in Bavaria.
It is a predictable accusation given Schweinsteiger is neraly 31, but it not a fair one. In signing one of the most decorated footballers of his generation, a World Cup winner who has been one of the biggest stars in ridiculously successful teams at both club and international level, Manchester United are bringing in a player they feel can help them win trophies rather than Champions League qualification.
He has not been signed for his potential. He is not a hot prospect, or one for the future, he is a player who has been collecting winner’s medals for 13 years. He is a player United have pursued because he promises to strengthen Louis van Gaal’s team instantly.
This is a transfer based solely on what the German adds to United now, rather than what he could bring in the future. There is no thought of resale value or expanding the brand’s global appeal, just a desire to harness the qualities that have led Schweinsteiger to eight Bundesliga titles, multiple cup final victories, a European Cup, a World Club Championship, as well as 111 caps for Germany and a World Cup winner’s medal.
Perhaps Schweinsteiger does not have the same glamour that Angel Di Maria brought last summer, but he is the definition of functional excellence.
He is not a flair player, but he can be deployed in a variety of different rules without his standards dropping. He does not just play well when he is in the mood, he is a seven out of ten player, even when he is having a bad day.
He is also a midfielder who has made a habit of scoring vital goals at vital times in the biggest games. Schweinsteiger has not had a couple of season at the highest level, he has spent his entire career there.
There are conflicting reports as to whether it is Schweinsteiger who has pushed to leave Bayern, turning down a new contract in order to take on a new challenge at United, or whether his departure is merely a pragmatic response to being told he is no longer guaranteed a starting role.
Regardless, Schweinsteiger could have signed for most of Europe’s top clubs this summer and has chosen United. It is confirmation of United’s enduring attraction, as well as the benefits of a new Premier League television deal that means they can also offer a significant increase in his wages.
To argue that a 30-year old midfielder is past his prime is tempting, but also ignorant. The advances in sport science mean world class players can remain so well beyond their old best before dates.
The advances in strength and conditioning, as well as the attention to detail in post-match recovery allowed Ryan Giggs to play in United’s first team when he was 40.
That may have been freakish durability, but Andreas Iniesta has just won the Champions League with Barcelona at the age of 31, alongside a 35-year-old Xavi, beating a Juventus team built around the 36-year-old Andrea Pirlo.
Schweinsteiger will be 33 when the three-year contract he has been offered at Old Trafford comes to an end. Whatever drop there might be in his physical attributes will be minimal and should be more than compensated for in experience; game management, calmness under pressure and a proven big game mentality.
United’s domestic rival will be intimidated by Schweinsteiger because of all that he has achieved, while his new teammates will be buoyed by the presence of someone who has made winning trophies look routine.
If United represent a new challenge in a different league, it will be a familiar one given the pressure and expectation levels at Bayern.
Schweinsteiger is a bold signing because it sends out a message, as does the pursuit of Real Madrid centre-back Sergio Ramos.
United are not at the start of a rebuilding project, they are adding luxurious finishing touches to a team that intends to win at least one of the four trophies on offer to them next term.