Exiled at Manchester United, Bastian Schweinsteiger could head to Brazil

Santos head coach Dorival Junior has said he held discussions with the Brazilian club’s board about the possibility of signing Manchester United midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger.

Santos head coach Dorival Junior has said he held discussions with the Brazilian club’s board about the possibility of signing Manchester United midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger.

Bastian Schweinsteiger made a surprise return to the Manchester United bench for Sunday’s Premier League home game against West Ham United, having previously been frozen out by manager Jose Mourinho. (Getty Images)

After making 18 Premier League appearances last season, the 32-year-old Schweinsteiger has not featured for United since Jose Mourinho took over from Louis van Gaal this year.

“I told them that we should try to get a big name in world football, or at least send an invitation,” Xinhua quoted Dorival as saying after his team’s 2-0 loss to Flamengo on Sunday.

“It was just a recommendation ... It won’t hurt us to try. We didn’t only speak about Schweinsteiger but other players too. A player like that can obviously lift the level of the team, but he has to come with an objective and an appetite.”

Schweinsteiger was made to train with the club’s reserves for large parts of the season but was included in the squad for United’s 1-1 draw with West Ham United on Sunday.

The former Germany captain, who won eight Bundesliga titles and the 2012/13 Champions League with Bayern Munich, said in August he would not join another club in Europe if left United.