When Bastian Schweinsteiger moved to Manchester United it was simultaneously emotionally jarring and emotionally liberating. The Bayern Munich vice-captain bleed for his team for an entire decade. He gave them his heart, he gave them their trophies, and eventually he gave them his knees, ankles, and general health.

As with all idols who fall to the continued march of time, Schweinsteiger’s move was necessary for Bayern Munich and for the player himself. For the club, it was a chance to re-define their midfield with the additions of Arturo Vidal, Joshua Kimmich, and Renato Sanches. For the Fußballgott it was supposed to be a re-birth at an age when he could re-define what he could do on the pitch and craft a new mold for himself at a new club. But after one miserable injury-filled year that ended with the sacking of Louis van Gaal, Schweinsteiger is probably done at Manchester United with the arrival of Jose Mourinho.

Juan Mata, Marcos Rojo, Daley Blind and Bastian Schweinsteiger have all been deemed surplus to requirements by United's new manager, who wants to trim the size of the dysfunctional squad inherited from Van Gaal in order to make space for what he describes as “fundamental” and “supplementary” recruits. - Duncan Castle, Daily Record

Duncan Castle’s reputation is as far from impeccable as you can get. But the one thing that is for certain is that his connections — and one might even call them shill-like — in the Manchester United front office are impeccable. When he brings up Manchester United’s transfer plans, they’re probably very accurate. Double down with Jose Mourinho’s willingness to use the press to pressure players into leaving, ex. see his extensive career of doing exactly this, and Bastian Schweinsteiger is probably not going to be at Manchester United come the start of next season.

Unfortunately, Schweinsteiger is not in the position to make large career moves to places like China, MLS or the Middle East. He’s a newly married man. Likewise, neither is he likely to give up the insane and very lucrative contract that Manchester United gave him last summer without a similar offer. This is where a club like Bayern Munich can come into play.

Give Manchester United a loan deal. Take some salary to sweeten the deal and add a depth piece of impeccable quality that can help Carlo Ancelotti. I don’t really care that Bayern are swimming in a sea of midfielders a mile deep. This is not a rational decision. This is an emotional decision and sometimes those are completely fine to make. Ask him to be a wide attacking midfielder again and backup to Ribery or Robben it it makes the club feel better.

There are certain players you keep close to your heart and Bastian Schweinsteiger is one of them. If Jose Mourinho or Manchester United want to disregard him as being neither fundamental nor supplementary to their needs, then Bayern Munich can bring him back and put him in a place where he’s not wasted and unappreciated.