Louis van Gaal, the Manchester United manager, is preparing another move for Bastian Schweinsteiger after being frustrated by failing to sign the Bayern Munich midfielder last summer. United have registered their interest in Schweinsteiger through third parties and hope to take advantage of his contractual stand-off with Bayern. Schweinsteiger, 30, is about to enter the final year of his existing deal and indicated recently that he was in no rush to renew his contract. The Times reported last June that Van Gaal wanted to sign Schweinsteiger, but the Dutchman’s attempts to secure him and Thomas Müller, the Germany forward, were rejected, something that Pep Guardiola, the German club’s head coach, acknowledged.
The midfielder does not fit the usual age profile of United signings, yet Van Gaal believes that his vast experience — he has 109 caps for Germany and 22 leading trophies with Bayern — would help to bring the balance to United’s midfield that he has complained about it lacking this season. At about £10 million, Schweinsteiger would also be considerably cheaper than some of the younger midfielders that the club have been monitoring. Van Gaal also had a solid working relationship with Schweinsteiger dating back to his tenure as Bayern coach between 2009 and 2011. “I am in no hurry to renew,” Schweinsteiger said recently. “It is not something that bothers me because I have a year left before it expires.” Ilkay Gundogan, the Borussia Dortmund midfielder, has also been heavily linked with United and the club have kept a close eye on Paul Pogba since the France midfielder left Old Trafford for Juventus three years ago.
Van Gaal is a keen admirer of Michael Carrick but the England midfielder has been increasingly undermined by injuries this season and will be 34 in July. A central midfielder is a priority signing for Van Gaal but the United manager, who has already signed Memphis Depay, the Holland winger, from PSV Eindhoven for £25 million, wants a centre half, striker and right back, too, and possibly another forward. United are thought to be unfazed by suggestions that Mats Hummels has rejected a move to Old Trafford in order to stay with Borussia Dortmund. Michael Zorc, the Dortmund sporting director, claimed yesterday that the Germany centre half has pledged to stay at Signal Iduna Park but United have been given no indications that is the case and retain a strong interest in the 26-year-old. Hummels will have two years left on his contract this summer and United believe he is still interested in joining the club. Nicolas Otamendi, the Valencia and Argentina centre half, has been reported as an alternative target.