Soccer

David Moyes’s targets look out of reach as Baines and Shaw are set to stay

Everton and Southampton say defenders not for sale

Everton manager Roberto Martinez and Southampton manager Mauricio Pochettino say their defenders Leighton Baines and Luke Shaw are not for sale.
Everton manager Roberto Martinez and Southampton manager Mauricio Pochettino say their defenders Leighton Baines and Luke Shaw are not for sale.
Tue Dec 31 2013 - 01:00

JACOB STEINBERG

David Moyes fears Leighton Baines and Luke Shaw may be out of reach in the January transfer window, with the Manchester United manager aware that Everton and Southampton are unwilling to sell their respective left-backs.

Moyes remains keen to bring in a player to offer competition to Patrice Evra, yet Everton, after their refusal to sell Baines to their former manager in the summer, are determined to maintain that stance.

At the weekend Everton's manager, Roberto Martinez, signalled the club's intent to keep Baines. "In football you don't work long-term, you go window to window, and I can guarantee that Leighton will be here at the end of the season. That is 100 per cent," he said. "That is how you work from window to window – to have a stronger squad than previously. Leighton is vital for us. Bryan Oviedo has been terrific but we need Leighton and Bryan fit for us if we are going to fight for our football dream." While Baines turned 29 at the start of the month, Shaw is only 18, so would represent a longer-term investment for United. However, Mauricio Pochettino, the Southampton manager, is adamant the teenager will not be sold.

Test the resolve
Moyes may still decide to test the resolve of Everton or Southampton. Yet with regard to Baines, when United finally made a £15 million bid for him on the last day of the summer window, having previously made combined offers along with his team-mate Marouane Fellaini, the Goodison club rejected the move.

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Meanwhile, Gary Cahill has warned that Chelsea have yet to produce their best form despite being two points off the top of the league and says people should expect “good things” when the side does click. “I was reading a lot of negative things about the team leading up to the Arsenal game but, if we had won then, we would have gone top,” the defender said.

"When we do click we can expect good things. It's important we stayed in touching distance. The gaffer has touched on the fact that it is a bit of a transitional period but at the same time we have the quality to be competing in the Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League. It's going to be entertaining and will go to the wire but as long as we stay in there we are in with a shout."
Guardian Service