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Everton FC have been left outraged after Manchester United made a farcical £16m bid for Marouane Fellaini – a fortnight after his £23.5m buy-out clause expired.

Goodison chiefs were rocked by the derisory offer for their Belgium international midfielder, and further incensed when Old Trafford officials also tried to include Leighton Baines in the package for a further £12m.

The shocking £28m approach by former boss David Moyes ’ new club, believed to have been designed to unsettle Everton’s prized duo, was swiftly and angrily rejected.

But United’s offer, which was made by chief executive Ed Woodward only 48 hours before the start of the new Premier League season, is understood to have left considerable bad feeling on Merseyside – especially given that Fellaini's true market value is widely considered to be in excess of the £23.5m clause in his contract which expired on July 31.

Last week Everton boss Roberto Martinez told the ECHO that United’s first bid for Baines in June, also for £12m, was described as a final offer by the Red Devils, and this latest attempt to land the England international on the cheap would appear to contradict that stance from the reigning champions.

At lunchtime today the Blues released the following statement: "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."

The Toffees are determined to keep hold of Baines, who they have repeatedly insisted is not for sale, and will be not pressured into listening to grossly under-value bids for 25-year-old Fellaini – who they would also like to remain at Goodison.

As Everton manager in 2008, Moyes paid Standard Liege an initial £15m for Fellaini – a sum which eventually rose to around £17.5m in additional payments.

Staggeringly, United’s approach last week would suggest they believe Fellaini’s value has decreased since then; despite the midfielder making 174 appearances over his five seasons at Everton so far, scoring 32 goals, and becoming an established part of the renowned Belgian national side.

Moyes has turned his interests to Fellaini after repeatedly failing in his protracted efforts to prize Cesc Fabreags from Barcelona.

So far he has only added young Uruguayan full-back Guillermo Varela to his squad, and is under pressure to show his mettle in the transfer market before the September 2 deadline.

COMMENT: Remember, David, Everton don’t sell cheap...