There’s no indication of Everton actually wanting to sell Leighton Baines to Manchester United, but the pressure and interest from the champions seems to be working, as reports indicate that Baines has finally broken his silence and is pushing for his club to agree to the offer.
According to the Independent, Baines has turned to the board and Roberto Martinez, asking the club to accept the offers from Manchester United, stating his desire to join the club. He’s not getting any younger (turning 28 this season) and would like to play for a club that aspires to more than his current one.
For how much? Manchester United and David Moyes have been slightly insulting with their offers, but if Baines will be able to push Everton towards an agreement, maybe something along the lines of £15 million will be enough to sign the England left back.
What does this mean about Marouane Fellaini? Nothing for now. United don’t want to pay the full price for both players, as if buying them both makes them deserving of some discount. Everton would rather have both players remain on the team. They aren’t drowning in money, but the club isn’t in any financial trouble, and can make do without selling its two most important player.
What does this mean for Patrice Evra? It’s hard to say. His form over the last couple of seasons hasn’t been too impressive, but it’s still hard to see him becoming a bench player. If United sign Baines, both players will expect to start in every match, and a rotational situation isn’t something they’d want. However, Baines probably believes he is being purchased in order to replace Evra, now or maybe a bit later in the future.
However, there’s a good chance that with Everton not having enough time to find themselves a suitable replacement, the modest offer and the previous way of handling the negotiations by Manchester United will result in the club rejecting Baines’ move to Manchester.