Manchester United Transfer News: Man U Must Temper Leighton Baines Aspirations

Manchester United have long fancied a move for Everton left-back Leighton Baines and while he would make an excellent addition to the squad, the Red Devils might be wise to explore further options at this point.

According to David Maddock of Mirror Football, United's pursuit of Baines has been fruitless in large part to Everton's bad feelings toward the Old Trafford club. The animosity stems from the Red Devils' recruitment of former Everton manager David Moyes, naming him as Sir Alex Ferguson's successor before last season had even ended.

Maddock is reporting that Manchester United officials have sent Everton a written apology for the manner in which they conducted business, but the damage has been done. The Toffees are aggrieved that United essentially sabotaged the latter part of their season so there are certainly some sour grapes involved.

It's tough to blame Everton for feeling that way—Manchester United tend to get what they want more often than not. The Toffees appear to have taken a stand that, on principle, they won't sell Baines to United because doing so would validate the way in which the champions pursued and secured Moyes' service.

Everton finished sixth in the EPL last season and they have an opportunity to improve on that during the upcoming season—provided they can keep their squad together. Allowing powerhouse clubs like United to cherrypick from their squad is something Everton cannot afford to do, which explains why Everton are flexing their muscles and refusing to budge.

Manchester United made a bid for as much as £12 million back in June, according to Ed Malyon of Mirror Football, but Everton rejected it. Even if United increase their last bid significantly and really take a run at Baines, it's hard to imagine Everton kowtowing to United by accepting and letting Baines switch from Merseyside to Manchester.

It's easy to understand why the Red Devils are keen on Baines—he is one of the premier attacking defenders in the world right now. Always a threat, Baines really makes things happen down the flank where his ability to cross the ball is matched by few. And he is a goal threat in his own right, too, racking up seven goals last season—no mean feat for a left-back.

Baines would add another dimension to United's already-potent attack and his addition could very well keep the Red Devils on top of the pile.

Manchester United won the EPL with relative ease last season, but with teams such as Manchester City, Chelsea and Arsenal spending big and in hot pursuit, the board may feel that they need to make a splashy move in order to remain on their perch atop the league.

Perhaps United will raise their bid to a price that Everton simply cannot turn down, but right now the Toffees appear dead-set against accepting any deal. Manchester United might be players for Baines once his contract expires in two years, but rubbed Everton up the wrong way has certainly hurt their cause in the meantime.

While it hasn't been for a lack of trying, United have come up empty in any attempt to improve the squad this offseason. With that in mind, the Red Devils can't afford to waste much more time on a player who now seems unlikely to move.

United got their man in the form of Moyes, but their questionable tactics are likely to cost them the services of Baines.

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