Bayern Munich loanee Marcel Sabitzer can see a long-term future at Manchester United

Marcel Sabitzer has been gaining positive momentum at Manchester United ever since going there on loan from Bayern Munich during the winter transfer window. He was finding regular minutes difficult to come by under Julian Nagelsmann in Bayern’s packed midfield and perhaps saw the writing on the wall with the imminent summer arrival of RB Leipzig’s Konrad Laimer, who is still going to be joining the club despite Nagelsmann being replaced by Thomas Tuchel.

Since starting his loan spell, Sabitzer has made a total of 11 appearances across all competitions for Erik ten Hag’s side, and he’s been able to find the back of the net once, in the FA Cup quarterfinals win over Fulham. He also provided the assist for Marcus Rashford’s lone goal in the narrow 1-0 win over Brentford at the beginning of the month, which kept United in the top four, even with Newcastle United’s recent run of results. More importantly for the Austrian international himself, he’s been starting far more regularly at United than he was at Bayern, which is the exact reason why he chose to go out on loan.

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Looking forward, Sabitzer is still unclear on what, exactly, will happen with his position at United, as there is no buy option on the end of his loan contract, but Bayern could still put him up for sale in the summer. “United made it clear that it was a project until the summer, then we’ll see. Until then, I want to give everything here. It’s a loan deal without an option. In the summer, the situation will be evaluated,” he told Sport Bild’s Tobi Altschaffl (via @iMiaSanMia).

Despite being uncertain of what the future holds, Sabitzer is more than confident that he’s truly found his feet in the Premier League with United and could imagine playing there long term. “I can say that I found my place here. Now I know the Premier League and can say there’s nothing better, more intense and tougher. Every game is a fight. It’s the best league in the world. When you play once here you know it’s incomparable,” he explained. This remark won’t exactly bode well for Bundesliga and German football fans that have to put up with the constant barrage of “farmer’s league,” baseless arguments, but Sabitzer will have plenty of unspoken respect for Germany’s top flight having spent so long playing in it.

“Of course my thoughts are on United, especially with the trust I get from Erik ten Hag – it’s very positive. But I’m not the only one who decides,” Sabitzer replied when he was asked whether or not he would stay at United if the club wanted him there and were interested in buying him this summer.

As far as a potential future with Bayern is concerned, the Austrian remained diplomatic in his response to being questioned about if he would stay at Bayern if there was no sale to United possible. He’d be competing for minutes with Joshua Kimmich, Leon Goretzka, Konrad Laimer, Jamal Musiala, and potentially still Ryan Gravenberch, unless the Dutchmen is offloaded this summer. “I’ll be a Bayern player again from July 1st, that’s my contract. There’s certainly going to be a conversation with Thomas Tuchel. Nothing is decided yet in either direction,” he said.