Mourinho's Boost For Schweinsteiger

Jose Mourinho has reiterated that Bastian Schweinsteiger is an option for him in midfield and hinted the German could get some more playing time for Manchester United in a busy January.

Schweinsteiger, whose first action of the season came in the last five minutes of November’s EFL Cup win over West Ham, has been named in the squad for Saturday’s FA Cup third-round tie against Reading.

Mourinho again stated he would allow Schweinsteiger to leave if the club received the right offer in this month’s transfer window but, for now, the World Cup winner is fit and ready to play his part.
 
Asked by reporters at his Friday press conference whether Schweinsteiger could start against the Royals this weekend, Mourinho replied: "He’s selected again, so he can start, he can be on the bench, but he’s an option for us. I think that’s the best way to describe [him].

"For many months he wasn’t an option; we made that decision. When we brought him back in the first couple of weeks, he was not an option; he was obviously not ready to compete. 

"Since then, he’s been working very well and never an injury – he was ill last week, but never an injury. His body is fine, he’s training very well and he’s ready.

"Again, my approach, which I think is the right one from the human point of view, is that if the player is not playing, I cannot stop him to leave – if the offer is right. Bastian played for us some minutes against West Ham and no more than that, but he wants to stay, he is staying and he is an option. 

"Because he’s an option, he’s selected for tomorrow, he was selected for Crystal Palace and he was selected for Middlesbrough. He’s an option, he’s waiting for a chance to play and I think January is a good month for that, with so many matches."