Morgan Schneiderlin joins Manchester United: Club confirm £25m signing of French midfielder from Southampton on four-year deal

New signings Schneiderlin and Schweinsteiger expected to travel to the US

(Manchester United)

Manchester United have announced the signing of Morgan Schneiderlin on a four-year deal from Southampton.

The French midfielder, 25, has been a target of Louis van Gaal's all summer and arrives for a fee believed to be around £25million having undergone a medical on Sunday night.

Schneiderlin was announced around 15 minutes after another new signing, Bastian Schweinsteiger from Bayern Munich was unveiled by the club; the pair are will join Van Gaal's squad as they fly for the pre-season tour of the US on Monday afternoon.

Schneiderlin's four-year deal also included an option to extend for a further year.

"I am delighted to be a Manchester United player," Schneiderlin told the club website.

"Once I learned that United were interested in signing me, it was a very easy decision to make. I have enjoyed seven very happy years with Southampton and it’s a club that will always be in my heart.

"But the chance to be part of this squad to help this great club be successful was too good to miss.

"I’m excited to be starting that journey on our trip to the USA. I know what Manchester United means to fans all over the world and I’m looking forward to experiencing that."

Van Gaal added: "Morgan is a very talented player with great energy and ability. His skills will complement the players that we already have and I am very pleased that we have been able to complete this deal before the tour to the United States.

"That training camp will be very important in our preparations for the new season and gives Morgan and the other players a chance to show our fans what they can achieve together."

United made an initial bid of £20m that was deemed "not serious" by Ronald Koeman and returned with an improved offer.

Manchester United have already signed Memphis Depay and Matteo Darmian this summer and seen Luis Nani leave, with Robin van Persie also expected to join Fenerbahce this week.

Schneiderlin joined Southampton from Strasbourg in 2008 for £1.2m and played 260 matches for the Saints, helping the club win promotion from League One to the Premier League.

With Van Persie in Istanbul to complete a £4.7m move to Fenerbahce, United are desperately short on strikers. The club elected not to sign Radamel Falcao at the end of last season despite having the £43.2m option to do so, and Van Persie’s exit leaves them with just captain Wayne Rooney and the inexperienced James Wilson up front.

Memphis Depay is capable of playing through the middle but is more at home on the left of the attack, and the lack of options has led to speculation on the continent that United will seek to land Paris Saint-Germain striker Edinson Cavani, possibly in a season-long loan that involves a swap deal with United’s British record signing Angel Di Maria.