Galatasaray forward Lukas Podolski has hit out at Jose Mourinho for banishing Bastian Schweinsteiger from the Manchester United first team.

The midfielder failed to seal a consistent spot in the side during his first season at Old Trafford under former manager Louis van Gaal last season due to injuries.

Following Mourinho's arrival as boss, 32-year-old Schweinsteiger has dropped out of the squad altogether, but Podolski, who played alongside the midfielder in the German national team, believes that the snub is unfair.

"When you look at the career Bastian has had, I can only say that what is happening there is simply not right for a player of his stature," Podolski told Bild.

"I do not know what Mourinho has discussed with Bastian, but is clear that it is not okay to drop someone like Basti to the reserves. A coach should always keep his door open to all players, and especially to players like Schweini."

Schweinsteiger joined United in 2015 from Bayern Munich, where he won 22 trophies during a 13-year spell.