Everton FC Transfer Rumour Mill: Moyes to offer £15m and Valencia for Baines … – Liverpool Echo

7 Oct 2013 10:31

Everton’s Ross Barkley is wanted by Manchester United

Everton’s transfer speculation today focuses Manchester United’s renewed attempts to lure Leighton Baines to Old Trafford.

Reports suggest United will offer Everton £15million plus Antonio Valencia in the January transfer window in a fresh attempt to sign Baines.

United boss David Moyes is more convinced than ever he needs a top left-back after spending his first two months scrutinising the squad.

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Patrice Evra was poor in the Manchester derby defeat three weeks ago while his understudy, Alex Buttner, is not considered up to the job.

Moyes had a joint £36m bid for Marouane Fellaini and Baines turned down in the summer and later split the offer so the Belgian could join on his own.

But with the England defender so far stalling on Everton’s attempts to get him to sign a new contract, Moyes is keen to try again ( The Mail ).

Reports at the weekend also suggest Tottenham and Chelsea will rival United for Baines in January.

Spurs boss Andre Villas-Boas is also monitoring the Baines saga and could be willing to enter the bidding now that chairman Daniel Levy has thrown off the financial shackles. Spurs signed seven players in the summer but still want a striker and a left-back ( The Mirror ).

[View the story “Everton FC rumour mill – 2012/2013” on Storify]

Meanwhile, Romelu Lukaku has revealed that he asked Jose Mourinho to allow him to leave Chelsea on loan this summer.

The Belgian striker joined Everton on a season-long deal on transfer deadline day and has scored four goals in four games, including one against Manchester City in Everton’s 3-1 defeat on Saturday (The Mail).

Moyes, meanwhile, is reportedly ready to swoop for Everton starlet Ross Barkley with a £20million transfer window bid ( The Star ).

But the Manchester United boss faces a fight for the wonderkid with Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho also keen to land his services.

United are long-term admirers of Barkley and Sir Alex Ferguson made an inquiry about him when he was just 17.

Moyes knows he has to add flair to his midfield and knows what excellent potential Barkley, 19, has, having worked closely with the youngster during his time at Goodison Park.

But he warned that future stars like Barkley are likely to be the limit of his January spending.

“I think I’ll look at January but I wouldn’t want people to have big expectations of what we would sign or do in January,” he said.

“I don’t think January has, in the main, been a great month to sign at the top level.

“I think if you’re in trouble near the bottom you might sign players as you’re desperate for something. But where I think we will be with Manchester United is looking for top players.”

Catch up with all the latest Everton FC transfer rumours in our blog below.

[View the story “Everton FC rumour mill – 2012/2013” on Storify]