Paul Scholes appears to have got his wish with Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag not planning to make Marcel Sabitzer's loan at Old Trafford a permanent deal.
The Austrian joined the Red Devils from German giants Bayern Munich on loan in January after Christian Eriksen suffered an ankle injury. There was no option to make the move permanent inserted into his contract, though that doesn't mean United couldn't have tried to negotiate a deal with the Bavarians if Sabitzer had made a stellar contribution.
Ultimately, the 29-year-old has fallen short in that regard and as a result United have no desire to keep him at the club next term. Sabitzer will bid farewell having played 18 times for the club, scoring three goals in the process.
Speaking back in April, ex-United duo Scholes and Owen Hargreaves discussed the likelihood of Sabitzer remaining a Red Devil beyond the campaign just gone.
"I’m sure the club will be looking at it, I’m sure Sabitzer will be looking at it," Hargreaves told BT Sport. "He’s a good squad player, but I think the midfield has been an issue over the past couple of seasons and now Casemiro’s in there with Bruno [Fernandes] and Eriksen, all of a sudden that team is so strong."
Scholes echoed a similar sentiment, as he added: "I think you summed it up perfectly, he might be a squad player.
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"He would be one who comes into them bigger games. We had people like Darren Fletcher and John O’Shea who went into midfield - proper athletes, absolutely brilliant coming into them games, getting against people.
"You’d worry about Eriksen and Fernandes in them situations but someone like Sabitzer you can rely on. He gets the ball - Fred, people like that - so as a squad player."
Sabitzer certainly seemed keen on the idea of becoming a United player permanently, as he told BILD last month: "Of course, my thoughts are on Manchester United, especially with the trust I get from Erik ten Hag - it's very positive.
"I've found my place here. Now I know the Premier League and can say there's nothing better."
Alas, a return to Munich awaits the Austrian as confirmation of United's intention to avoid a permanent purchase is expected in the coming days.
Ten Hag is thought to have acknowledged that midfield is certainly a problem area for United and is therefore committed to using some of his summer transfer purse towards landing upgrades on the likes of Sabitzer, Fred and the potentially-departing Scott McTominay.
