Morgan Schneiderlin asks to leave Manchester United

In news that should come as a surprise to absolutely nobody, Morgan Schneiderlin has asked to leave Manchester United. The Frenchman has made a mere eight appearances this season, including just three starts, and is so far down the midfield pecking order than even Bastian Schweinsteiger has been appearing on the bench ahead of him.

Speaking at his pre-Boxing Day game press conference, Jose Mourinho confirmed that he had spoken to the player:

Great professional. Fantastic boy, very honest, very open and he opened his heart a couple of times and my answer is simple: if he's playing regular with me I have the right to say no way, if he's not playing regular I have no right to tell a player that if he wants to be happy you're going nowhere. So my answer was if the offer is right and our board thinks the offer is a good offer in relation to a very good player like Morgan I would not stop him to go.

According to the rumour mill, the interested parties are Everton and West Bromwich Albion. The former seems the more likely, given the presence of Schneiderlin's former manager Ronald Koeman and the fact that he could stay in the northwest. But Tony Pulis is a persuasive man.