A deal long in the making is almost complete, as Morgan Schneiderlin is finally set to make his move to Goodison.
Schneiderlin said goodbye to his Manchester United teammates on the weekend ahead of his imminent move to Everton. Reports surfaced that the out-of-favour United midfielder traveled to Finch Farm to have his medical done in anticipation of the transfer.
Playing for 90
There is a slight issue with the baseline transfer fee but Ronald Koeman reiterated that the move is close to being done.
The French midfielder has close ties with Koeman, as he worked with the Dutchman during his time at Southampton before United came calling.
United signed Schneiderlin from Southampton for £24 million just over a season ago, but the central midfielder’s time at Old Trafford has failed to live up to expectations.
Most attacks went through Schneiderlin when he expertly patrolled Southampton’s midfield under Koeman’s management. Koeman will be hoping for the same kind of consistent excellence from Schneiderlin when he finally becomes an Everton player.
Everton are especially thin in the midfield at the moment, with Idrissa Gueye on international duty at the Africa Cup of Nations and James McCarthy seemingly forever sidelined by hamstring ailments.
Gareth Barry had a poor showing in the FA Cup against Leicester on Saturday, so Schneiderlin’s arrival is now even more crucial.
Does Schneiderlin still have something to offer?
Absolutely. While he’s never been a prolific offensive threat, Schneiderlin is the type of player who can dominate the midfield. With a bit of first-team football, the French midfielder will regain the kind of confidence and match sharpness that helped him become an elite player.
He pings the ball about with consummate ease and hits targets, both short and long range, with pinpoint precision. In the right circumstances, Schneiderlin has the capability to turn a game on its head. He’s a born leader and, at 27 years of age, is right in the middle of his prime.
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Though he would probably slide directly into the first team and would be an invaluable addition, Schneiderlin isn’t the goal-scoring answer Koeman is in search of.
Having said that, Schneiderlin is equipped with the incisive passing ability to unlock many Premier League defences, which, in turn, would considerably help Everton’s offensive output.