Manchester United Transfer News: Paul Pogba Arrives, But Are 2 Notable Players On Their Way Out Of Old Trafford?
Superstar midfielder Paul Pogba has returned to Manchester United on a world-record £89 million transfer from Juventus, arriving at Manchester Airport on Monday for his medical exam. He has yet to officially sign a contract with United, though at this point it's just a formality.
The newest United star is expected to make a staggering £220,000 a week on a five-year deal. Pogba, 23, is the big-splash signing many were expecting for the debut season of new manager Jose Mourinho.
But what's next for Mourinho's retooled squad with the season opener just six days away? Considering United landed veteran forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic on a free transfer, and added center back Eric Bailly from Villarreal and midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan from Borussia Dortmund for what is believed to be £30 million each, some players are probably on their way out.
According to reports from Turkey, Galatasaray may be in the market for both winger Antonio Valencia and defensive midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger. The £4.25 million total sum may not be enough for Mourinho to part ways with two players who could provide some leadership to a squad in transition.
However, there may not be room for both Valencia and Schweinsteiger on this expanding roster and Mourinho probably can't afford to part with the more up-and-coming players. In May, The Sun reported that the pair, along with Adnan Januzaj, were expected to be on their way out of Old Trafford.
Valencia, who turned 31 last week, was linked to Galatasaray as far back as October 2013. With 176 appearances to his credit, the wingback has had a long affinity for Manchester United and has generally been a positive holdover from the Sir Alex Ferguson regime.
"I'm happy where I live and I enjoy being in Manchester every day," Valencia told an Argentinean radio station back in February 2012.
Valencia played the full 90 minutes in Sunday's Community Shield match, and Mourinho praised his play. But the former Chelsea boss may not be optimistic about the Ecuadorian's future after a four-month layoff in 2015-16 due to a foot injury. If Valencia sticks around, it seems unlikely he will play a significant role in the upcoming season.
As for Schweinsteiger, his one season at Old Trafford was met with mixed results. The 32-year-old sat out three matches for striking Winston Reid of West Ham United and seemed like he didn't have a legitimate place in the starting lineup with competition from Daley Blind, Michael Carrick, Marouane Fellaini, Ander Herrera and Morgan Schneiderlin.
The German legend played a full 90 minutes in just 10 of his 18 Premier League matches. While Mourinho uses a 4-2-3-1 formation, he may view Schweinsteiger expendable due to his age and the depth at the position.
With 393 club appearances and 120 caps with Germany dating back to 2000, Schweinsteiger could struggle to compete at a high level in the arduous and fast-paced Premier League. It also doesn't help that he has a £160,000-a-week contract.
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