In the 12 years since Sir Alex Ferguson retired, Manchester United have spent billions on many players, most of whom have not worked out.
Most of these were signed by Ed Woodward and his mad seven-year spell where players overstayed their welcome after becoming ill-advised signings.
Even the players who came as highly-rated found themselves lost in the upheaval at United and would never reach the same heights again.
One such player who joined in the frantic summer of 2015 has now announced his retirement, with Anthony Martial emerging from the shadows to send him a five-word message.
Morgan Schneiderlin announces retirement
Frenchman Morgan Schneiderlin, who played for United for two years after joining in 2017 has announced his retirement from football.
In a heartfelt Instagram post compiling the best moments of his career, the ex-Man United midfielder said goodbye to the game.
Droves of his former teammates, including ones at United, congratulated him on a great career that might not have peaked at United, but remains the pinnacle in terms of pure club profile.
Anthony Martial displayed gratitude, saying: “Thank you for everything brother”, while Juan Mata replied with four heart emojis.
Former Southampton teammates, the club where he emerged as one of the best in the league, also joined in with the likes of Jose Fonte and Dejan Lovren congratulating him.
During his post-United career, he spent three seasons at Everton and a similar amount of time at OGC Nice, before stints in Australia, and Turkey, and finishing in Greece’s second division with A.E. Kifisia.
The “Schmidfield” was a memorable time
Schneiderlin never really consistently impressed at United, and Louis van Gaal then Jose Mourinho’s style not helping either.
However, in the summer of 2015, the world was convinced that United had managed to get the best midfield in the Premier League with two signings.
In Bastian Schweinsteiger and Morgan Schneiderling, the “Schmidfield” was a necessary jolt to the squad which had lacked a functioning midfield for a long time.
Of course, the reality would turn out to be much different. The Frenchman’s lack of penetrative passing hurt and his German partners’s best days were behind him.
Mourinho sold them both and rejigged the midfield again, a phenomenon that would continue happening till today when United are targeting yet another defensive midfielder in Manuel Ugarte.
It didn’t last long and the time it did last for wasn’t successful either, but “Schmidfield” will always remain a cult favourite name among United fans. Both members of that have now retired.
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