Manchester United have rejected a £19m bid from Everton for Morgan Schneiderlin. The French midfielder is also wanted by West Bromwich Albion.
Everton have shown an interest in signing the midfielder for several weeks and submitted their first formal offer at the start of the transfer window. Ronald Koeman is keen to bolster his squad in January, and found Schneiderlin as the perfect player to anchor his midfield. However, United have rejected Everton’s opening bid for the player, as it fell short of their valuation.
United paid £24m for Schneiderlin in July 2015, and the Red Devils are looking to recoup a significant portion of the money through his sale. Schneiderlin has made only three appearances in the Premier League this season and doesn’t feature in José Mourinho‘s long-term plans at Old Trafford.
The 27-year-old has played only 147 minutes of football for United, which is unfortunate for a player of his talent and experience. Mourinho may not rate him highly, but still he is good enough a player to represent any top Premier League side.
It’s a strange situation. Schneiderlin knows very well that he doesn’t have a long-term future at Old Trafford, and moving elsewhere is the right option for him. The French midfielder needs to play regularly in order to boost his chances of playing for his country.
With Koeman having fitness concerns about James McCarthy in central midfield, and Idrissa Gana Gueye having played his final game before the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) in the 3-0 win against Southampton on Monday, Everton desperately need quality additions in the middle of the park. It remains to be seen whether they make another move for Schneiderlin with an improved bid in the next few days.
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