Comeback complete. Kind of.
Bastian Schweinsteiger has gone from outcast at Manchester United to fringe squad player. That might not seem like much of a journey, but it’s a considerable change given the German’s position at the club last summer.
Jose Mourinho became manager and made it patently clear that there was no-place in the squad for Schweinsteiger.
The World Cup winning midfielder was banished from the first-team and made train with the reserves.
To make matters more embarrassing, Schweinsteiger was written off as an asset in the club’s financial report last September.
Interesting: Man Utd forced to write off £6.7m due to Schweinsteiger no longer considered member of 1st team squad. pic.twitter.com/JN1OFeJMJO
— Martyn Ziegler (@martynziegler) September 12, 2016
A sum of £6.7m (the fee United paid Bayern Munich for Schweinsteiger in 2015) was listed in the “exceptional items” section of the club’s accounts.
It related to “a registrations’ impairment charge regarding a reduction in the carrying value of a player no longer considered to be a member of the first team playing squad.”
Schweini was seemingly destined to leave Old Trafford, and his involvement with the squad was reduced to wishing his teammates luck on match days via social media.
However, the 32-year-old kept his head down, worked hard and earned a surprise call-up to Mourinho’s squad.
Schweinsteiger has only made three appearances this season, but he impressed against Wigan Athletic in the FA Cup recently, and appears to be a popular with his teammates and the United fans.
He even scored an overhead against Wigan, and his comeback now appears to be complete, with the club once again listing him as an asset.
On Thursday afternoon, Schweinsteiger was included in the club’s second quarter results as an “exceptional item” and valued at £4.8million.
The report reads:
“Exceptional credit for the quarter was £4.8 million, relating to a reversal of a registrations’ impairment charge for a player now considered to be re-established as a member of the first team playing squad.”
Second quarter results day for @ManUtd. Will Schweinsteiger be written back into accounts? Was a £6.7m "exceptional items" write off in Sept
— Simon Stone (@sistoney67) February 9, 2017
Not named but @BSchweinsteiger has written back into @ManUtd accounts as an “exceptional item” – valued at £4.8m
— Simon Stone (@sistoney67) February 9, 2017
In Q1, United wrote off £6.4m asset as Schweinsteiger out of Mourinho's plans.
Now, back in squad his value reflected again as £4.8m credit— Rob Harris (@RobHarris) February 9, 2017
