Why Bastian Schweinsteiger can be a dream buy for Louis van Gaal’s Manchester United. Yes, that’s right, it is reported that the German is a Man United target.
The German powerhouse can be a dream move for Manchester United for a cut price rate especially. Schweinsteiger can instantly improve the quality of the Red Devils at the heart of the pitch with his powerful engine and sharp vision. Man United have been weakened in the heart of the midfield, where they always used to boast of the likes of Paul Scholes, Roy Keane etc. Maraoune Fellaini has not been the player they needed, especially now when he looks out of place in a United system which was left in shambles by David Moyes.
What Bastian Schweinsteiger brings to Man United is the immense direct playmaking ability that they have been lacking whole season. Manchester United’s main talent exists up front in their two world class strikers Robin van Persie and Wayne Rooney. Always playing in a 4-4-1-1 system, with Rooney playing right behind the poacher striker, the central midfield was always the department which would keep the wingers and the strikers ticking. With the likes of Michael Carrick playing alongside a non-creative Fellaini who is used to playing as a block midfielder or a target man upfront along-side a striker or Tom Cleverley who has been lacklustre in the midfield with a lack of meaningful passes. Having Bastian in the centre will be a blessing for the players around him, as he can play the attacking and defensive responsibilities at a world class level.
The importance of having a natural central midfielder of world class level is that it fits the philosophy of the Red Devils of playing with natural wide midfielders who would constantly whip in deliveries for the centre forwards or the attacking midfielders. Man United have been over-dependent on Carrick, who is a defensive option as he is more of the passer than the main play-maker, despite which he has performed a good job with his long passing as well. But with Schweinsteiger, Man Utd will get a more mobile player who adds the dynamism that went missing after Paul Scholes retired. There have been rumours about Toni Kroos coming to Man Utd, but van Gaal refused him and instead prefers a player whom he had coached before.
There is no doubt about Schweinsteiger being world class, but there have been issues about his ability to keep himself at his physical best as he has been injury prone. As a result, Bayern haven’t been able to utilise the player to the fullest as his niggles kept him out of action frequently. Such injuries at man Utd can only halt the development of the Old Trafford club. The German’s transfer can be pivotal in the rise of Man Utd’s new era, but if they aren’t able to handle an injury prone player, he can end up on the treatment table and hardly make any difference to the team.
Despite injuries being the only chink in his armour, he has still managed 29 starts and 2 substitute appearances this past season and has accumulated 7 goals and 4 assists which is a very impressive tally for a central midfielder having an irregular injury hit season. Also with an average of 1 key pass per game (as per whoscored.com), Schweinsteiger can actually add up more to the Man Utd team. His distribution and defensive contribution is well known as he has been an immense contributor for the German national team.
It remains to be seen whether Van Gaal will buy his old player, who is now 29 years old and is an experienced campaigner, who can be available for around £10 million as per reports from Dailymail, whereas his value according to the transfermarkt is £35.2m. While it may be a step down for the German, it is definitely a move on the right direction for Manchester United.