Marouane Fellaini’s future at Manchester United is in serious doubt with the Belgian midfielder out of contract on June 30, 2018.
Fellaini, 29, last held contract talks with United in September but rejected the Red Devils’ offer of a new deal.
Galatasaray were linked with a move for Fellaini in the summer and Besiktas are said to be interested in signing him in January, but reports state that United will not sell him in January and will instead risk losing him for nothing next summer.
Over the past few months his manager at United, Jose Mourinho, has been singing Fellaini’s praises despite the destructive midfielder dividing opinion among United’s fans and neutrals with his performances in central midfield.
You either love him or you hate him. That’s just the way it is. He was even booed by United’s fans last December when he warmed up as a sub during the game against Tottenham at Old Trafford.
Since then, things have changed but Fellaini’s future is in doubt despite him having a good relationship with Mourinho.
Fellaini’s powerful performances in midfield give United something completely different and he has often come in for high-profile games away from home and helped disrupt the rhythm of opponents, while his aerial ability is always useful off the bench. Playing in a more defensive role than he did in the past, Fellaini has also scored four goals in nine appearances in 2017-18 and Mourinho singled him out for special praise after the 1-0 defeat at Chelsea before the break with Fellaini rushing back from injury to feature in the second half.
Mourinho has done that a lot this season, perhaps knowing in the back of his mind Fellaini was having doubts about signing a new deal at Old Trafford.
United’s manager has called Fellaini his “most important player” on many occasions and although that may be a stretch, there’s certainly something to be said about the former Everton man lasting this long at United after his horrible debut season under David Moyes in 2013-14.
Almost five years on from his $35.5 million arrival from Everton, the fact that Fellaini is only now seen as an important figure for United tells the whole story.
