A lot’s changed at Manchester United since Jose Mourinho took charge this summer; the football has been markedly more attractive and interesting, the team look far more confident and haven’t lost a game since early November. Of course, it’s not all rosy; United currently sit 10 points behind Premier League leaders Chelsea, and will likely spend a fourth consecutive season on the fringes of the title race, but it’s clear that Mourinho has made progress at Old Trafford this season.
Not only that, but if reports are to be believed, the club are attempting to reverse an old quirk of theirs in the transfer market. The Guardian are reporting that United have rejected a bid worth £19m from Everton for Morgan Schneiderlin, with the Merseyside club falling short of United’s valuation of the Frenchman. The report suggests that the club want to recoup as much of the £24m that was paid to Southampton in the summer of 2015 as possible, and are seemingly intent on making sure that this is one player that doesn’t United on the cheap.
It’s a nice change, given how the club have traditionally sold its unwanted players for low bids (see Robin van Persie and Nani). In reality, Schneiderlin is surplus to requirements at United and Mourinho doesn’t have the player in his plans, but perhaps, given the most recent television deal has gifted each Premier League club with big sums of cash, United are in no mood to allow a wanted man to leave the club without getting as much as they can for him.
