Morgan Schneiderlin left Manchester United in the January transfer window of 2017 to join Everton and it was a decision the Frenchman admitted he came to regret
Morgan Schneiderlin, Chris Smalling, Jesse Lingard, Marcus Rashford and Luke Shaw walking together
Morgan Schneiderlin lasted just 18 months at Manchester United(Image: PAUL ELLIS/AFP via Getty Images)
Morgan Schneiderlin has confessed his regret over cutting short his Manchester United career, admitting he lost his way during his brief spell at Old Trafford.
The Frenchman had spent seven years at Southampton and established himself as one of the Premier League's finest defensive midfielders during his tenure on the south coast. His outstanding displays earned him a move to the Red Devils in a £24million deal in 2015, with Louis van Gaal eager to address his team's midfield problems.
Schneiderlin featured in 25 league matches and appeared in 39 fixtures across all competitions during his first campaign but failed to live up to the high expectations placed on his shoulders.
He would feature just eight more times for the club before deciding his Old Trafford journey had reached its conclusion. With Jose Mourinho replacing Van Gaal during the summer of 2016, the Frenchman found himself as a peripheral figure under the former Chelsea manager and asked to depart in the January window of 2017.
Reflecting on his choice to conclude his Manchester chapter, Schneiderlin, whose former clubs United and Everton meet in pre-season today, acknowledged he was too quick to exit in order to link up again with his ex-Saints manager, Ronald Koeman, at Goodison Park.
"I learned a lot from my departure from Manchester United," the now 35-year-old revealed to L'Equipe in 2022. "I had played 40 matches the previous season with Manchester. When I come back from the Euros, I take ten days off and I play very little for three, four months.
Morgan Schneiderlin (right) battles for the ball with Sadio Mane (centre)
Morgan Schneiderlin admitted he lost himself as a player during his struggles at Man United
"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.
"Even if it went very well at Everton, when you play for Manchester United, when you're at a club like that, it's not for a moment of doubt that you have to question everything. Look at Ander Herrera: the first year I arrived, he was on the bench; he persevered, and today he is at PSG."
Despite securing the FA Cup during his inaugural season - marking his first major trophy - Schneiderlin confessed he found it difficult to implement Van Gaal's tactical demands, which left him feeling as though he had lost his identity as a footballer.
"I was too affected by what Louis van Gaal was asking from me," he revealed. "I lost me as a player. It was not me on the field. It was not just the manager's fault; it was my fault, too. My role was not the one I had at Southampton. I felt restricted in my game. I felt they wanted to change things in me.
Morgan Schneiderlin of Everton
The Frenchman lasted three years at Everton before returning to France
"I was not thinking as me, I was thinking about what pleased the coach. When you reach that point, every pass you make, everything you do, you don't play free. Something stopped me from being who I was. I wanted so much to do well, and it is one of the most frustrating things ever."
Schneiderlin remained at Everton for three years before departing in 2020 to return to his homeland with Nice. Following his exit in 2023, he experienced short spells across Australia, Turkey and Greece prior to hanging up his boots last year.
Ruben Amorim's squad will face the Toffees in their concluding Premier League Summer Series encounter on Sunday. The clash - taking place at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta - will be shown live on Sky Sports, with kick-off scheduled for 10pm UK time.