Ex-Man Utd star confirms retirement aged 34 after three transfers in last two years
Morgan Schneiderlin was signed by Louis van Gaal at Manchester United in 2015, helping the Red Devils win the FA Cup before falling out of favour under Jose Mourinho
Former Manchester United midfielder Morgan Schneiderlin has announced his retirement from football aged 34.
Schneiderlin spent 18 months at Old Trafford after joining from Southampton in 2015 and won the FA Cup. The £25million signing also made a total of 47 appearances for United, most of which came during his first season under Louis van Gaal.
After Jose Mourinho took charge, Schneiderlin soon found himself out of favour and moved to Everton in January 2017, where he spent the next three-and-a-half years. A move to Nice in his homeland of France followed before a loan spell with Australian outfit Western Sydney Wanderers.
Schneiderlin signed for Turkish club Konyaspor August 2023 but had his contract terminated by mutual agreement just nine days later. The Frenchman quickly found his next destination and played for Greek side AE Kifisia last season, his third move in the last two years.
After his contract expired in June, Schneiderlin took time to consider his future and on Friday announced the end of his nomadic career via Instagram. "For me, the chapter as a football player is coming to an end, which is why, before I start writing a new chapter in my professional career, I want to take a moment to express my gratitude," the 15-time France international wrote.
"Thank you to Racing Club de Strasbourg, who gave me an opportunity at the age of five, and where I stayed until I was 18. Thank you to the coaches I encountered from my youngest age there, thank you to the Racing training centre, thank you to those who believed in me.
"Thank you to Southampton FC, I truly spent my best years with you. Thank you to Manchester United, one of the greatest clubs in the world. Thank you to Everton FC, thank you to OGC Nice, thank you to Sydney Wanderers, thank you to Kifisia FC."
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Having helped Southampton reach the Premier League and establish themselves as a top-flight side, Schneiderlin's move to Van Gaal's United was seen as somewhat of a coup. The 34-year-old wasn't fancied by new manager Jose Mourinho, though, and in late 2016 he asked to join Everton, a decision which he'd go on to regret.
"I learned a lot from my departure from Manchester United. I had played 40 matches the previous season with Manchester," Schneiderlin told L'Equipe. "When I come back from the Euros, I take ten days off and I play very little for three, four months. Then, I have Ronald Koeman and Everton who are pushing hard to get me, every day, from October.
"I will remember it all my life: I should have played against Liverpool, starter, and the coach (Mourinho) comes to see me. He tells me he doesn't feel me inside the group. I tell him that indeed, with what has happened in the last three months, I am not in it and I want to go to Everton. I regretted it very quickly."
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