According to German publication Bild, Bayern Munich stalwort Bastian Schweinsteiger has decided he will leave the German giants and join Manchester United.
The report calls the transfer “imminent” and says it will garner Bayern Munich a fee of around $20-22 million. Schweinsteiger will reportedly sign a three-year contract worth around $11 million per year.
Schweinsteiger was seen taking in a Wimbledon match in early July, and likely met with club officials around that same time.
While it’s sad to see a player who has spent 17 seasons and 536 appearances for one club move away from the team, it can be considered good business by Bayern to get a solid transfer fee for a player on the wrong side of 30 who appeared last season to be starting a slow but noticeable decline. The 30-year-old managed just 20 league appearances and 1,362 minutes last season due to injuries, his lowest total in either category since his debut season in 2002/03.
He joined Bayern Munich’s youth team at just 14 years old in 1998, choosing a soccer career over one in professional skiing at the time. He went on to win eight Bundesliga titles, seven league cups, a Champions League, and a Club World Cup title with the Bavarians.
Outspoken Bayern Munich executive Karl-Heinz Rummenigge yesterday admitted Schweinsteiger was “flattered” by Manchester United’s interest in him, but earlier Friday morning he trashed reports of a swap deal sending the German to England in exchange for Angel Di Maria.
Stuart Mathieson of the Manchester Evening News also claims the transfer is nearing a conclusion.
