Southampton FC made millions from Man Utd after bargain investment: View | OneFootball

Southampton’s decision to sign midfielder Morgan Schneiderlin in 2008 is one that probably doesn’t get enough credit.

The Saints have been known for bringing in players to the club who may be unknown to English football but have proven to be excellent purchases.

Schneiderlin is one that definitely fits into this category, as the club took a gamble in 2008 to sign the midfielder in a deal believed to be worth £1.2 million.

The Frenchman was 18 at the time, and while it may have been considered a risk at the time, the Saints should look back on that deal with fondness.

Morgan Schneiderlin at Southampton

Southampton didn’t take their time when it came to Morgan Schneiderlin; the midfielder was brought to the club to be an instant regular in the side.

Schneiderlin played 30 times in the Championship in his first season at St. Mary's, and while, disappointingly, Southampton suffered relegation to League One, the player himself continued to shine for the club.

The Frenchman would go on to play regularly once again in the next two seasons in League One, before playing 42 times as the Saints were promoted from the Championship in the 2011/12 season.

Schneiderlin played a key role in that promotion, as he scored twice and recorded three assists, and he continued that form in the Premier League.

In the next three seasons, he played 95 times in the top flight, scoring 11 goals and chipping in with three assists.

He was a pivotal player in helping Southampton get to the Premier League and then staying there before pushing to get into Europe.

So, in 2015, it will have come as no surprise to see teams lurking with interest and then eventually see Manchester United go all out to sign Schneiderlin. A deal that the Saints made millions from after a bargain purchase back in 2008.

Southampton made millions from Manchester United signing Morgan Schneiderlin

After gaining promotion from League One in 2011, Southampton were a side that was very much on the rise.

The club continued that momentum in the second tier, and that was what earned them their chance in the Premier League.

But when they reached the Premier League in 2012, the Saints didn’t stop, and they went on to become not just a newly promoted side but a side that was comfortably competing in the Premier League and standing on their own against the big sides.

Morgan Schneiderlin was very much a key part of that rise, so when it became clear that Manchester United were keen on signing the midfielder, Southampton and their supporters would have been dreading the day of his departure.

Man United made the decision to go after Schneiderlin, as the midfielder impressed with the Saints, and it was time for United to freshen up their midfield as they looked for long-term replacements for midfielder Michael Carrick.

Schneiderlin was brought to Old Trafford along with German international Bastian Schweinsteiger, and the pair were expected to be the Red Devils’ midfield partnership. Schneiderlin went on to cost Manchester United £27 million, which meant the Saints got considerably more than what they paid in 2008.

However, it didn’t really work out for the French international, as he played 29 times in the Premier League in his first season, as well as appearing in the Champions League and other cup competitions.

But that was as good as it got for the player, as the following campaign, the 34-year-old played just three times in the league before being sold to Everton.

In his only full season at Old Trafford, Schneiderlin started 25 of the 29 league games he played in, during which he contributed one goal.

He finished the season averaging 0.4 shots per game, as well as having 61.4 touches of the ball, as per Sofascore.com.

The midfielder’s ability on the ball wasn’t in doubt, as he had a 54.0 (90%) pass accuracy per game, which helped him grab 0.3 key passes.

While he also averaged 2.5 interceptions per game as well as 2.4 tackles. He finished that season with a Sofascore.com average rating of 7.01, but it wasn’t enough to continue at Old Trafford.

So, while it may not have worked out for Schneiderlin at Old Trafford, it did work out for Southampton, as the midfielder excelled during his time with the club, and they were able to benefit from it, as they sold the player for a considerably higher price than what they paid to bring him to the club all those years ago.