Manchester United to make £20m bid for Everton's Marouane Fellaini
Manchester United plan to make a renewed £20million bid to sign Marouane Fellaini before Sunday’s clash with Liverpool at Anfield, despite Everton’s increasing frustration with efforts to sign the Belgian midfielder.
11:00PM BST 26 Aug 2013
Comment
But with the acrimony between the two clubs escalating in recent days, United are now ready to focus efforts on landing Fellaini before Monday’s transfer deadline, with manager David Moyes believing that Everton are more likely to sanction the sale of the 25-year-old on his own rather than as part of a deal with Baines.
Everton angrily rejected the offer from Old Trafford, describing it as “derisory and insulting”, before manager Roberto Martinez spoke out publicly to condemn the manner of United’s efforts to sign the players.
Martinez’s complaints sparked a war of words with Moyes, who left Goodison Park after 11 years as manager to succeed Sir Alex Ferguson at the end of last season, with the United manager claiming his successor should “do the right thing” by allowing Baines and Fellaini to further their careers by moving to Old Trafford.
Although a £23million escape clause in Fellaini’s contract expired at the end of last month, the former Standard Liege player is understood to have made it clear to Everton that he is keen to move to United.
Baines, in contrast, has maintained a dignified silence during a summer when United have lodged two offers for the 28-year-old and Moyes accepts that prising the full-back away from Goodison will prove hugely difficult in the final week of the transfer window.
But while Everton have publicly resisted United’s efforts to sign Fellaini, it is understood that Martinez has already identified Wigan’s Republic of Ireland midfielder, James McCarthy, as a potential replacement should United make an improved bid for Fellaini.
Meanwhile, Moyes used his programme notes ahead of Monday night’s clash with Chelsea – his first home game as manager – to call for patience during a ‘transitional period’ at the club.
“As a football manager, you can never ask for time in the job, but you’re always looking for a little bit of patience,” Moyes said.
“There is no doubt we are in a transitional period at the club – most people recognise that when a new manager joins – but I’m hoping that it’s going to go smoothly and there won’t be too many bumps along the way.
“I have been impressed by the club’s owners, the Glazer family, both for their strength of decision-making and their plans for building on the success here.
“I’m excited by what they have told me about their plans for the future and continuing the club’s success.”
Moyes added: “I’ve only been in the job for six or seven weeks, which isn’t a lot of time, but I’ve taken a lot of advice from Sir Alex and from people like Rene [Meulensteen] and Mick [Phelan] before they left.”
