Everton have lashed out at Manchester United for making a "derisory and insulting" double offer for Marouane Fellaini and Leighton Baines just a couple of days before the start of the new English Premier League season.
Former Everton manager David Moyes is not exactly the most favorite person at his former club at the moment after making a paltry double bid for Baines and Fellaini worth £28 million ($44 million).
Everton did not take too kindly to the offer, taking it as a tactic by United to try and unsettle their players just prior to the start of the new season.
In a strong statement, after the news broke out of the two bids, Everton made it clear what they felt of the double bid for two of their best players.
"Everton can confirm that it has received bids from Manchester United for two players," director of communications Alan Myers said in the club's website. "Those bids were immediately rejected out of hand as derisory and insulting.
"The club did not make public these details as it was vital Roberto Martinez's preparations for the opening game of the Premier League season were not disrupted in anyway."
United made a £16 million ($25 million) bid for Fellaini, just a few weeks after his £23 million ($34 million) buyout clause expired, while adding another £12 million ($18.7 million) for Baines to make it a sum total of £28 million ($44 million) for the two players.
The offer is at least £10 million ($15.6 million) short of Everton's valuation, with the timing of the offers more than anything the major cause of the rift between the two clubs.
United have so far been left frustrated this transfer window, failing in bids to land the likes of Thiago Alcanatara and Cesc Fabregas and the fact that they have now ticked off Everton, landing either of the two Toffees players will also seem tough with just two weeks remaining before the window shuts.
