There’s nothing new about Manchester United using classic transfer tactics of unsettling players they’re interested in by handing in offers they know will be rejected, like their most recent attempt to sign Marouane Fellaini and Leighton Baines together with a bid that’s been called laughable, farcical and what not.
Knowing Fellaini has a release clause that stops being relevant from a certain point, United launched a bid of £28 million for both players, valuing Fellaini at £16 million and Baines at £12 million. They’ve already offered more for Baines alone in the past, but this wasn’t a bid they were expecting to be accepted.
According to the Liverpool Echo, the Everton board is furious with Manchester United and their insulting offer they realize has been made in order to try and turn the players, who both played the full 90 minutes for the team in the 2-2 draw with Norwich this weekend, against their own club.
Manchester United had no problem opening the season with wins over Wigan (Community Shield) and Swansea (League), and yet it doesn’t look like they’re too pleased with their situation in the middle of the pitch. David Moyes has promised new signings, but the few players they’ve actually been going after have been either snapped up by others or simply preferred to remain with their current clubs.
Baines has been on their shortlist for over two years, while Fellaini has been mentioned as a future United player from the moment Moyes became the Red Devils’ new manager. However, Moyes isn’t showing any solidarity or class with his former club, and is using the usual “dirty” transfer tactics we’ve gotten used to seeing from big clubs.
With the pressure on Moyes to do more than United have over the last couple of seasons in the Champions League growing despite his successful start in the league, this is probably not the last offer we’ve heard from United directed at the Everton duo.