Manchester United Transfer Rumors: Leighton Baines And Ross Barkley Reportedly Staying At Everton; Man U Remains Interested In Both

One of the busiest periods of the soccer season, the January transfer window serves as a time for various clubs across the international spectrum of professional football to improve their rosters heading into the final stretch of the season. Big time transfer market clubs including Arsenal, Real Madrid, Manchester United and others are expected to, at the very least, explore the window. With these clubs looking to capture league championships as well, improvement in the winter could be a vital piece to the puzzle.

According to multiple sources, Manchester United first-year head coach David Moyes has his sights set on adding talent during the upcoming window. Seeking added midfield and defensive help in order to ease the pain of injury and the sluggish play of Marouane Fellaini, Moyes has multiple outlets he could enter, including making a play for Borussia Dortmund's Marco Reus. The former Everton boss is also interested in two current members of the Toffees, even if those players don't appear to be openly available. Despite having three summer bids rejected by Everton during the previous summer window, Moyes and company remain in pursuit of Leighton Baines but Everton boss Roberto Martinez is not open to losing one of his top defensive players since the Toffees are currently fourth in the Premier League.

Martinez said recently that he'd like to improve the club – who currently sit five points back of first place Arsenal – during the winter period but does not want to lose Baines. “I have said many times that in football you can’t fight the trend of the game, but what you can dictate is the timing and everything you do should be for the good of the club,” he said. “Everything that happens needs to be done in order to improve the squad, to give it a longer-term benefit. It has to be a football decision. I can guarantee that will be the case in January 100 percent.”

In addition to coveting Baines, Man U is said to hold interest in 20-year-old rising star Ross Barkley. Off to a tremendous start for Everton, the young midfielder is undoubtedly a player David Moyes would love to reel in but much like Baines, it is not likely that Roberto Martinez will be looking to part ways with a growing talent. Knowing United could make a strong financial move for one or both of the aforementioned players, Martinez notes that Everton can refuse the bids, especially when they're in a good financial position.

“As a football club, when you're in a position where you have to bring money in, then it can be a real difficult position,” Martinez said of teams making outside offers. “You can be a little bit anxious, a little bit frustrated because when you need to make financial decisions, the squad is not going to benefit from them. When you make football decisions, then you are in a stronger position.”