Manchester United has moved to bolster its midfield with the addition of Germany’s World Cup winner Bastian Schweinsteiger from Bayern Munich as it bids to re-establish itself as a Premier League force following two poor seasons.

Germany’s metronomic midfielder Schweinsteiger has agreed to join the 20-time English champion, the Bundesliga champion’s chief executive Karl-Heinz Rummenigge said on Saturday.

“Bastian wants to do something new at the end of his career,” he told a news conference. “The colleague from Manchester United got in touch with me. We have agreed on a transfer.

“I regret that because Bastian was an extremely deserving player for us. He has done great things. I can only wish all the best to Bastian. It will be an interesting task for him.”

United confirmed they had reached an agreement to sign the 30-year-old subject to a medical and personal terms.

A World Cup winner with Germany in Brazil last year, Schweinsteiger came through the youth ranks at Bayern and has spent 13 seasons with the Bavarians, winning the Bundesliga title eight times.

During a glittering career, Schweinsteiger, who made 536 appearances for the club since his debut in 2002, also won seven German Cups and the Champions League in 2013.

Germany’s mainstay

Germany captain Schweinsteiger has been a mainstay in the national side’s midfield since his international debut in 2004, scoring 23 goals in 111 appearances, and is the fifth-highest capped player.

“[Schweinsteiger] is an absolute leader and world-class player, who can make his mark on any team,” Germany coach Joachim Löw told the team’s official Twitter feed after the announcement.

Schweinsteiger’s arrival is a statement of intent by United, which is bidding to re-establish itself after seventh- and fourth-place finishes in its previous two league campaigns.

It spent heavily during the last close season, bringing in the likes of Angel Di Maria, Radamel Falcao, on loan, and Luke Shaw, but was still overly reliant on 33-year-old midfield lynchpin Michael Carrick.

Schweinsteiger cites United great Eric Cantona as one of his heroes and plays in the same mold. He is likely to assume much of the midfield responsibilities at Old Trafford.

He will be the first German to play for United and its second signing of the close season following the arrival of Netherlands winger Memphis Depay from PSV Eindhoven for a fee of about 30 million euros ($33.5 million).

United manager Louis van Gaal confirmed on Friday that Italian defender Matteo Darmian would have a medical at the club ahead of a proposed transfer from Serie A side Torino.

Reuters

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Multiple world record-holder and six-time Olympic gold medal winner Usain Bolt will retire after the 2017 World Championships in London, the Jamaican told British newspaper The Daily Mail.

The 28-year had previously hinted the 2016 Rio Olympics would be his last competition but sponsorship commitments dictated he will continue until 2017 where he will focus solely on the 100 metres.

“That was the initial plan (to sign off after Rio),” he told the Daily Mail on Saturday.

“But my sponsor has asked me to go on for another year, to 2017 and London. But I’ll be doing one event, the 100.

“I’ve already discussed it with my coach. I can concentrate on that, and on retiring on a winning note.”

Bolt holds the world records for the 100 metres, 9.58 seconds, the 200 meters, 19.19 seconds, and the 4×100 meters relay, 36.84 seconds, and talked of his drive to beat those times in 2015.

His 2015 season culminates at the World Championships in Beijing from Aug. 22 – Aug. 30 where he will attempt to add to his eight world golds and beat the 100 meters record he set in Berlin in 2009.

“If everything goes well this season, in my life anything is possible. If I can get myself in good shape, it should be wonderful this season,” he added.

“I live for competition. I thrive on competition. I live to compete against the best. It means a lot when you beat the best.”

Reuters

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