Morgan Schneiderlin braced for Manchester United exit in January

Manchester United midfielder Morgan Schneiderlin is braced to leave the club just 18 months on from moving to Old Trafford after asking for a transfer, according to manager Jose Mourinho. West Bromwich Albion boss Tony Pulis has confirmed the club have made a bid for the France international ahead of the January transfer window after being made surplus to requirements.

Schneiderlin has featured for just 11 minutes in the Premier League since Mourinho's arrival in the summer, after the arrival of Paul Pogba saw him plummet further down the pecking order. Sky Sports understand the Baggies have submitted an £18m bid for the former Southampton man, though rival clubs could join the race.

Mourinho had indicated that he was happy with the make-up of his United squad and was unwilling to make wholesale changes in January. However, the Portuguese coach has backtracked somewhat on this claim and reveals he will allow Schneiderlin to leave after discussions with the 27-year-old.

"Fantastic boy, very honest, very open and open his heart a couple of times and my answer is simple: if he's playing regular with me I have the right to say no way, if he's not playing regular I have no right to tell a player that wants to be happy you're going nowhere," said Mourinho, according to the Manchester Evening News. "So my answer was if the offer is right and our board thinks the offer is a good offer in relation to a very good player like Morgan I would not stop him to go."

United face the first of three games in the space of eight days over the festive period against former manager David Moyes, who brings relegation threatened Sunderland to the North-west on Boxing Day. Luke Shaw is the only absentee for the clash, which sees Eric Bailly and Henrikh Mkhitaryan both available, but Mourinho has bemoaned the winter schedule.

"The busy period is for some clubs and not for everyone because if you analyse there is no congestion for them, the fixtures are chosen to give some rest for some and create problems for others," he added. "But we are used to it because we are in the Europa League, which creates more difficulties. We know that, so it is just more of the same and it's good for us to have everybody available, but Luke Shaw.

"But in the central defender position, we have all of them. So a position where I think is very important to have some stability in the options, but now we are safe and Bailly goes to the AFCON in Jan but for the next three matches we have them"