Morgan Schneiderlin has been in talks with both Manchester United and Arsenal in recent days, and will make a decision on his future in the coming days, ESPN sources report.
The Frenchman is widely expected to be on his way out of St Mary’s in the coming weeks, already being denied an exit last season due to a self-implemented cap on departures in that window. However, with Southampton not experiencing such a situation this time around, Ronald Koeman’s side believe that they can handle themselves without the defensive midfielder. It was widely expected that Schneiderlin would be departing for Old Trafford, with United reported to be in advanced talks with the two parties last night. However, ESPN sources have revealed that the race for the player is a lot tighter than at first thought.
The US-based news outlet has been told that both Arsenal and United have offered deals to the £25m man, with the Frenchman mulling over both proposals. Even in the last few days Schneiderlin told France Bleu Alsace: “The negotiations are ongoing and should be completed in the coming days, hopefully before the resumption of [Southampton’s preseason] training next week.”
Schneiderlin offers a unique blend of defensive qualities that make him one of the most coveted players in Europe’s top tier. The 25-year-old can be a destroyer, nationally renowned for his tough-tackling and his willingness to commit a foul for the benefit of the team. Also, he is a fantastic reader of the game, picking out attacking passes with ease – a pro-active defensive midfielder that has the potential to aid the stronger sides. Finally, the former Strasbourg man can be the type of player that’ll place the pinpoint pass that gets the attack going and build the offence well. This mixture suits a big team well in a league that is known for its diversity and quality.
The race is on for a French international who is needed a great deal in both teams. At the Emirates, Arsène Wenger requires a complete player that can replace the ageing Mikel Arteta, Mathieu Flamini and Abou Diaby. For Louis van Gaal, Daley Blind has had a year littered with inconsistency and Michael Carrick simply cannot be relied upon with his injury woes. Morgan Schneiderlin would contribute an enormous amount to fixing these problems – it’s up to these Premier League clubs to convince the man with 4 league goals this season to sign up to their respective projects.
