Bastian Schweinsteiger completed his move to MLS side Chicago Fire last week (Picture: Getty)

An apologetic Jose Mourinho has finally revealed the reason he banished Bastian Schweinsteiger from his Manchester United first team squad.

The vastly experienced former World Cup winning captain was forced to train with United’s youth team players upon Mourinho’s appointment as Louis van Gaal’s successor.

Mourinho was heavily criticised, particularly by Schweinsteiger’s former Bayern Munich teammates, for exiling the 32-year-old, who this week completed a move to MLS side Chicago Fire.

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What I knew about Bastian was a season full of injuries, a season almost when he didn’t play, when he wasn’t even having treatment at the club – he was having treatment outside the club,’ explained Mourinho.

‘I didn’t think that was right. The mentality was not right. The kind of player I wouldn’t like to have in the squad.’

Mourinho and Schweinsteiger eventually patched up their differences and the vastly experienced midfielder made four appearances before being granted permission to leave with the Special One having offered him a sincere apology.

‘But after knowing him as a person and professional – the way he behaved and respected my decisions – yes I regret it. There’s no problem for me to admit that. He knows that.

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‘It was the last thing I told him before I left – “I was not right with you once, I have to be right to you now”. When he asked me to leave I had to say yes, because I did it once – I cannot do it twice.

‘I feel sorry for the first period with him. He knows that and I’m happy he knows. I’ll miss a good guy, a good professional and a good influence in training.

‘I couldn’t stop him leaving, even knowing we had so many matches and knowing we might have needed him for a few periods. We wish him and his wife a very happy life in Chicago.’

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