Manchester United news: Jose Mourinho 'should be jailed' for 'bullying' Bastian Schweinsteiger, says FIFPro member

Schweinsteiger is not part of the United manager's first-team plans this season

Mourinho has deemed Schweinsteiger surplus to requirements (Getty)

Jose Mourinho should be jailed for his “bullying” of Bastian Schweinsteiger, according to a member of FifPro, the international players’ union.

The Manchester United manager has deemed Schweinsteiger surplus to requirements at Old Trafford this season and left him out of his first-team plans.

Schweinsteiger, who was not included in the squad for Wednesday’s 0-0 pre-season friendly draw with Everton, has reportedly been left to train with the club’s reserves.

Dejan Stefanovic, who is also president of the Slovenian Footballers and Sportsmen Union, has now criticised Mourinho’s treatment of the Germany international and World Cup winner.

“It’s clear bullying,” he told BBC World Service. “In Slovenia, we would have indicted Mourinho and asked for the highest penalty – three years in prison.”

"This is clearly meant to discourage Bastian. Mourinho is setting a bad example. I would take it to the ordinary court.”

Stefanovic called Schweinsteiger to take his complaint to the Professional Footballers’ Association and later tweeted further criticism of Mourinho’s management.

“Mobbing and harassment of athletes must not be allowed anywhere in the world, nor by Mourinho, nor by anyone else,” he wrote.

Stefanovic’s comments follow those of Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, Bayern Munich’s chief executive, who warned that United’s treatment of Schweinsteiger may dissuade players from joining the club in the future.

"One or two players are going to think long and hard in future about whether they want to go to such a club," he told Bild.

Schweinsteiger was signed by Louis van Gaal, Mourinho’s predecessor, last summer but struggled for both fitness and form during his debut campaign.

After suffering a knee injury in early January, the 32-year-old made only four further appearances and his absence from the club during his recovery led some team-mates to believe that he was afforded "special treatment" by Van Gaal.