Manchester United have been informed that only a bid of £24 million will be enough to secure the services of Morgan Schneiderlin this summer, with Southampton seemingly unprepared to budge on their strict valuation. According to a report by the Daily Mirror, the Saints have accepted they will have no choice but to let the influential 25-year-old leave. However, with another two years left to run on Schneiderlin's current contract, the St Mary's club are under no immediate pressure to sell. The Frenchman, who joined Southampton as a teenager when the club was struggling to stay afloat in the Championship, has previously expressed a strong desire to test himself at a higher level. After playing his way into French national team, he has a particular desire to experience the Champions League sooner rather than later, something the Saints are unable to offer. Arsenal have long been linked with an approach, while Tottenham had a bid rejected last summer. Schneiderlin was ultimately persuaded to stay then, but it seems he now has his heart set on a move. At present, it is said that the player would prefer a summer switch to Old Trafford over the Emirates Stadium. But, although United are believed to be interested, Schneiderlin is currently only seen as a secondary option. Louis van Gaal's primary midfield choice remains the vastly more experienced Bastian Schweinsteiger, a player he worked with so successfully during his time at Bayern Munich. Should a move for the 31-year-old World Cup winner fail to materialise, it is suggested that United will then turn their full attention to capturing Schneiderlin.
Talk Manchester United and Manchester City for What Culture. I can also be found on 90min.com, with occasional musings on Huffington Post and elsewhere.
