Angry Everton reject 'insulting' bid for star pair

Manchester United boss David Moyes’ attempted raid on his former club Everton for Marouane Fellaini and Leighton Baines has been rejected “out of hand”, the Merseyside club have confirmed.

United are understood to have made a joint bid of £28m for both players but Everton have knocked back the approach.

An Everton spokesman said: “We can confirm a bid has been received and has been rejected out of hand.”

Moyes signed Belgium midfielder Fellaini for Everton in 2008 for a fee that has already reached £17m with add-ons yet United appear to be offering only £16m for the 25-year-old.

Everton released a statement describing the bids as "derisory and insulting".

The statement said: "Everton can confirm that it has received bids from Manchester United for two players. 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."