Bastian Schweinsteiger was past his best when he joined Manchester United from Bayern Munich, former Germany captain Michael Ballack has said.
Schweinsteiger, 32, started only 15 of Bayern's 34 league games in his final season under Pep Guardiola, but was hailed as "the ultimate professional" by ex-Bayern coach Louis van Gaal when he signed for United in the summer of 2015.
The 2014 World Cup winner made 31 appearances in all competitions in his debut season under Van Gaal. However, Schweinsteiger has found himself on the fringes under Jose Mourinho, who banished him to train with the youth team earlier in the campaign, and despite forcing his way back into the reckoning he is yet to make an appearance in the Premier League this season.
"By the time he moved, Schweinsteiger was actually over the hill because of his injuries," Ballack said at an event in Nuremberg.
"I'm not completely surprised by the trend. The Premier League is physically at a totally different level to the Bundesliga.
"He has had a difficult time with the trainer, but the fans and the club worship him. I hope he can end his spell in Manchester satisfactorily."