Morgan Schneiderlin is reportedly close to ending his Manchester United horror story, as Everton are preparing a £24 million bid for his signature. Schneiderlin has been made as one of the names surplus to requirements at Old Trafford. He was immediately moved to the back of the field when José Mourinho came to the club in the summer. Signed by Louis van Gaal in the summer of 2015, Schneiderlin was one of the expensive arrivals at the club for £25 million. The former Southampton player ended up making 39 appearances in all competitions.
Just as he was expected to face an uncertain future under a new manager like every other player, Schneiderlin was expected to come out strongly. This has not been the case, as the 27-year-old has not been in amongst Mourinho’s choice from the start of the campaign. Schneiderlin has featured in only eight games across all competitions with most of them coming as a late substitute.
An Old Trafford source said (via The Sun): “Morgan and his team have been talking to the club over the past few weeks and over last weekend.
“The club want all the money back they paid Southampton for him. It just hasn’t really worked out for him here.
Everton boss Ronald Koeman recently stated that he would be interested in not only bringing Schneiderlin, but also Memphis Depay. The latter is also on the wanted list at United, and is one of the highly talented youngsters available for transfer in the January transfer window. Everton, though, are stepping up their interest in Schneiderlin for the time being according to latest reports.
Contrary to rumours about an offer less than £15 million being able to secure the signing of Schneiderlin, it seems that Everton are preparing a £24 million offer for the player. Since Schneiderlin has a contract with the club until the summer of 2019, his transfer fee may have gone up significantly. At United, the 27-year-old is understood to be on a contract worth around £115,000 per week. Everton are reportedly ready to match this figure, a move that would make the Frenchman the best-paid player at the club.
It remains to be seen if this move will cause friction, as striker Romelu Lukaku recently signed a new contract worth around £100,000 per week. The Belgian international, widely perceived as the best player at the club, might have some guarantees that will still see him earn more than any other Everton player.
After the recent foreign investment from an Iraqi billionaire, the club are rich in terms of cash. They, however, seem to be moving at a steady pace rather than splurging out on a number of top names. One of the factors could be Koeman struggling for consistency at Goodison Park. If Schneiderlin comes to the club, he could very well be the long-term replacement for Gareth Barry.
