Express. Home of the Daily and Sunday Express.
Everton target McCarthy, Barry and Ince if Fellaini and Baines join United
EVERTON manager Roberto Martinez admits he has contingency plans in place if Marouane Fellaini and Leighton Baines join Manchester United - with Wigan's James McCarthy, Manchester City's Gareth Barry and Blackpool's Tom Ince on his radar.
United's second joint bid of £36million for Fellaini and Baines was rejected by Everton, although former Toffees boss David Moyes could return with another improved offer before Monday's transfer deadline.
And while Martinez wants to keep the pair at Goodison Park he has made plans for replacements should they leave.
Everton have made contact with Wigan for midfielder McCarthy, while City outcast Barry and England Under-21 forward Ince are also targets.
"You have to have contingency plans," said Martinez. "Believe me, the way you work in the transfer market is to always think about the unthinkable.
"We are working in a way in which you always need to have things in place. That’s working within the rules of the transfer window, so we always do that."
Martinez has already held informal discussions with his former club Wigan for 22-year-old McCarthy, but Latics chairman Dave Whelan is driving a hard bargain for a player of whom the Spaniard's replacement Owen Coyle is keen to hang on to.
"I’ve had conversations but not in a formal way," said Martinez, who is no closer to reaching an agreement over a fee for the Republic of Ireland international.
"I don’t want to be disrespectful. He is a Wigan player and I won’t speak publicly about something. But it’s an open secret that I am a big admirer of him."
Everton will need to reach a compromise with City for Barry over his £125,000-a-week wages if they are to secure a season-long loan move for the out-of-favour 32-year-old.
Barry has been told he has no future at the Etihad by manager Manuel Pellegrini and is eager to move to revive his World Cup hopes with England.
And the Toffees are tracking Blackpool winger Ince, but are unwilling to match the Championship outfit's £8m valuation.
Cardiff had a bid accepted for the 21-year-old earlier this summer, but now Everton are set to battle Aston Villa for his services.