(Mourinho has not hidden his affection for the Belgian international despite refusing to sign a new deal)
Manchester United midfielder Marouane Fellaini is set to leave the Red of Manchester in the summer following negotiations of a new contract reportedly breaking down over the last few weeks prompting news of an imminent exit.
The 30-year-old who was Manchester United’s sole summer signing during David Moyes’s reign for £27.5 million on the Summer Deadline day in the 2013/14 season is out of contract in the summer and despite boss Jose Mourinho’s remarks of wanting to keep the big Belgian it seems Fellaini wants out in 2018.
Despite the club going into contract negotiations with the 6ft 4 Belgian international talks broke down with the player looking seemingly dead set of a move out of Manchester.
Suitors from Italy, Spain, Turkey and China are all circling around the former Everton star all seemingly claiming to give Fellaini more money than his current Manchester employers in what could be the most unlikely transfer saga of the summer.
When we look back at Fellaini’s Manchester United career nobody could call him a complete flop, he has a successful time while donning Red playing 149 games for Manchester United even playing a key role under Jose Mourinho featuring in the Europa League final against Ajax despite being mostly limited to the bench during his time under new boss Jose Mourinho.
(Fellaini has done quite well in Manchester despite being bought during the long since forgotten Moyes Era of Manchester United)
After in September’s 4-0 thumping of Crystal Palace where the Belgium International took his tally to 4 goals in 8 wins the Portuguese boss spoke avidly of the big-haired Maestro saying “He had to be a strong character. He is a fighter, a guy with lots of pride and I am really pleased I helped him reach this level and change the perception the fans have now. I’m really happy for him.”
But it seems for Mourinho he will need a new star to replace the outbound Fellaini, whether that will be Manchester United youth product Mctominay or a bigger signing is yet to be seen, but with Jose Mourinho with his contacts and pulling power combined with Ed Woodward’s funds means we could see another superstar at Old Trafford.