Manchester United appear poised to sign Germany international Bastian Schweinsteiger after Bayern Munich chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge confirmed an agreement was in place between the two clubs.

Bayern had made clear their desire to keep the 30-year-old World Cup winner, who has spent his entire career with the club to date, but said they would not stand in his way if he wanted to leave.

In comments reported on the Bayern website, Rummenigge said he met with Schweinsteiger on Friday and the midfielder said he had decided to go.

“We have responded to this request,” Rummenigge said. “My colleague from Manchester United has contacted me. We have agreed on a transfer.”

Rummenigge added: “We tried to convince him to stay with Bayern Munich. But I also understand that a player who has spent 17 years at Bayern Munich, at the end of his career still wants to gain a new experience.”

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Describing him as “an icon, a legend”, the chairman also said he hoped to see Schweinsteiger back at the club in the future.

“He has done great things here, he has won everything,” he said. “I suggest to him that we will give him a great farewell match in Munich when he finishes his career, whenever that will be. And when he stops, we will talk about whether there is a second career for him here at Bayern.”

 

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United subsequently announced the deal on their website.

“Manchester United is delighted to announce it has reached agreement with Bayern Munich to sign midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger, subject to a medical and personal terms,” a statement said.

United manager Louis van Gaal worked with Schweinsteiger during his own spell in Munich and has been keen to recruit his former charge to bolster a midfield which currently relies heavily on Michael Carrick, 34 later this month, and Daley Blind, with concerns over the amount of cover offered in front of defence.

Schweinsteiger has won the Bundesliga eight times, lifted the Champions League with Bayern in 2013 and was part of Germany’s World Cup winning squad last summer.

Schweinsteiger, who has won 111 caps for Germany, is now poised to become United’s second signing of the summer following the B£25million arrival of Memphis Depay from PSV Eindhoven.

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