Everton sign Morgan Schneiderlin in £24m deal

The Toffees will pay an initial £20 million, with the fee potentially rising to £24m.

The move reunites Schneiderlin with former manager Ronald Koeman, who he spent a season under at Southampton.

“Everton is a big club in the history of English football,” Schneiderlin told the club’s official website. “I’ve always loved the atmosphere in the stadium. I’ve always liked playing here. I can’t wait to play and to represent this great club.

“There is a manager in place here that I know, I know he can get the best out of me, I know his style and how he likes to play football. He was very good with me from the start and I enjoyed playing football under him.

“He was very good for me and, obviously, he was a massive player in his playing days and you can only learn from the best. At Southampton he gave me some great advice to keep improving every day and it was a pleasure to work with him.”

Schneiderlin left St Mary’s for Old Trafford in 2015 for a similar fee, but has struggled to make inroads into the first team since Jose Mourinho’s arrived last summer.

He has made just eight appearances this season and has failed to make a matchday squad since November.

Schneiderlin becomes Everton’s second signing of the January transfer window, joining 19-year-old winger Ademola Lookman who joined from Charlton.