Merseyside club Everton are reportedly readying a bid of £40 million in order to land twin Manchester United targets Memphis Depay and Morgan Schneiderlin in the January transfer window.
Italian transfer expert Gianluca Di Marzio has reported that Everton are ready to enter the market in the January transfer window. Manchester United outcasts Memphis Depay and Morgan Schneiderlin are their prime targets and the Toffees are preparing a £40 million joint offer for the duo as the winter transfer window nears.
It has been anything but a dream spell at the Theatre of Dreams for either Memphis Depay and Morgan Schneiderlin. Signed on big money deals in the summer of 2015, much was expected from both the players. However, neither managed to turn in performances of note in the year and a half since, managing just 33 and 32 appearances respectively in the period.
As Jose Mourinho was brought in to replace Louis van Gaal earlier this year, the expected overhaul happened and the Portuguese made improvements all across the pitch. As a result, the central midfield and attacking midfield positions in particular have an abundance of options.
The direct consequence of this has been the lack of opportunities for Memphis Depay and Morgan Schneiderlin, as they have had to compete with the likes of Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Jesse Lingard, Anthony Martial, Marcus Rashford, Michael Carrick, Ander Herrera, Marouane Fellaini and Paul Pogba.
With a severe lack of playing time coming their way, both Depay and Schneiderlin have been a subject of constant speculation all through the season. With news of Schneiderlin putting in a transfer request also being confirmed by Mourinho, the exit door at Old Trafford certainly seems nearer for the Frenchman.
For Everton, the acquisition of both Depay and Schneiderlin offers manager Ronald Koeman a chance to bolster his options in midfield and attacking midfield. However, the duo will have a lot of competition on their hands with Gareth Barry, James McCarthy and Idrissa Gueye regulars in the midfield, and Kevin Mirallas, Ross Barkley and Aaron Lennon the options further up.
The move, however, gives both Depay and Schneiderlin a chance to start afresh, having failed to make a mark in their dream moves to Manchester United. A new lease of life in their club careers beckons for the outcasts for now.
