Schneiderlin ‘close to joining Everton in £24m deal’

Matt Stead

Manchester United have agreed a £24million fee to sell midfielder Morgan Schneiderlin to Everton.

The 27-year-old moved to Old Trafford from Southampton in a deal worth around £25million in July 2015 but has struggled to make an impact since manager Jose Mourinho’s arrival last summer.

Schneiderlin now looks set join former Saints boss Ronald Koeman at Goodison Park, with realistic add-ons understood to have been built in that could take the transfer figure to £24million.

The move is set to bring an end to a difficult spell in Manchester for the France international, who has struggled for game time since Mourinho’s appointment.

He is yet to start a match in the league this season, having been named in the first XI 25 times by Louis van Gaal last campaign, and has made just eight appearances in all with Mourinho admitting last week that he no longer considered the midfielder for selection.

Commenting on the futures of Schneiderlin and Memphis Depay, who has also been linked with a move to Goodison, the Portuguese manager said: “Their situation is exactly the same, both of them I will allow to leave the club.

“I will allow them to leave if the right offer comes. Until this moment, no. Is this a good situation? No. Why not? Because I don’t think about them as options in this moment.”