Bastian Schweinsteiger's troubles at Manchester United have been well-documented.
The German midfielder has been frozen-out of the first-team by Jose Mourinho since the former Chelsea manager took charge at Old Trafford.
Forced to train with the reserves, and moved away from the first-team dressing room, Schweinsteiger appears to be biding his time as he waits for an escape route from United, a year after joining the club from Bayern Munich.
The 31-year-old didn't set the world alight last season for United. He struggled for form and fitness and few would argue he warrants a place in the team ahead of Paul Pogba or Ander Herrera.
However, he doesn't deserve this.
https://twitter.com/SportsJOE_UK/status/768567830392414208
Mourinho has prevented Schweinsteiger from playing for United's U23 side, according to
The Sunday People.
Warren Joyce, United's reserve team coach, reportedly asked the United manager if Schweinsteiger could play for his side in an U23 league game, but had his request refused.
Schweinsteiger has been training with United's reserves, and hasn't played a game since a farewell friendly appearance for Germany against Finland in August.
Mourinho, according to the report, dictated that Schweinsteiger is not allowed to play for any United side.
https://twitter.com/SportsJOE_UK/status/791730187851460609
If the report is accurate, then it's hard not to have sympathy for Schweinsteiger, regardless of how much money he's earning to train, sit in the stands and tweet his soon-to-be former teammates messages of good luck.
The German midfielder achieved great success with Bayern and become part a key part of a World Cup winning team, and he didn't do it by merely showing up and taking an easy pay cheque.
He's a competitor, a professional and most of all a footballer. Like any other football at any level he surely wants to play, even if it's in a reserve team game.
Mourinho has made it clear there's no future for Schweinsteiger at United, he's not going to change his mind and that's fair enough, even if he doesn't appear to have given the player much of a chance to prove him wrong.
But to prevent the player from lining-out for the reserves seems totally unnecessary.
January can't come soon enough for Schweinsteiger.
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