Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has admitted that Bastian Schweinsteiger is now "an option" for the club, adding that he does not want to leave Old Trafford.

After spending three months exiled from the first team under Mourinho, the German World Cup winner was welcomed back into first-team training to provide injury cover.

The 32-year-old, who has 18 months left on his contract, opted against leaving the club in the summer, but speculation remains around his future coming into the New Year.

With United hosting Reading in the third round of the FA Cup on Saturday, Mourinho told reporters at a press conference: "He can start, he can be on the bench. He is an option for us. For many months he wasn't an option.

"My approach is that if a player is not playing I cannot stop them. Bastian played some minutes. He wants to stay. He is staying. He is an option. He was selected for Palace. January is a good month [for players to play] with so many matches."

Schweinsteiger joined United from Bayern Munich in 2015.