Manchester United have confirmed the departure of Belgian midfielder Marouane Fellaini, who has joined Chinese Super League side Shandong Luneng.

Manchester United have made an official statement to confirm that Marouane Fellaini has left the club on a permanent transfer. The Premier League heavyweights have reached an agreement with Chinese Super League side Shandong Luneng for the transfer of the Belgian international, and will reportedly pocket around £10.5 million from the deal.

Fellaini had joined Manchester United in the summer of 2013, moving from Everton in a £27.5 million deal that was the only transfer made by the Premier League heavyweights in that window. The player subsequently became the biggest scapegoat for David Moyes’ time at Old Trafford. But, things would improve for the Belgian midfielder thereafter.

Under Louis van Gaal, Fellaini’s stock rose quite a bit, and he played a pivotal role in the only trophy Manchester United won under the Dutchman, the FA Cup. And, under the tutelage of Jose Mourinho, he became an even more important a figure for the Red Devils, with the Portuguese even jostling for the club to tie the player down to a new deal last summer.

But, things took a downward turn upon the departure of Mourinho, who was sacked by the club two months ago. Fellaini was not picked in the starting lineup by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in any of the matches that he has managed thus far, with the 31-year-old midfielder becoming an afterthought.

Unsurprisingly, rumours of an impending exit from Manchester United started to circulate in recent weeks, with the Premier League heavyweights believed to be seeking £15 million in exchange for the Belgian international‘s services.

Off to China. (Photo by Oli Scarff/AFP/Getty Images)
Off to China. (Photo by Oli Scarff/AFP/Getty Images)

Most of the interest came from the Chinese Super League, with Shandong Luneng reportedly offering Fellaini the most lucrative deal. And, a move has now been agreed, with the player signing a three-year deal worth around £12.5 million per year after tax, as per ESPN. Manchester United have reportedly recouped £10.5 million from the player’s sale.

Thus ends the Manchester United stint for one of the most polarizing figures in their history, with Marouane Fellaini ending the spell with a record of 22 goals and 12 assists in 177 appearances. Having become the fourth Belgian to make his way to the Chinese Super League, it now remains to be seen if he can resurrect his career at Shandong Luneng.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

I agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.

Recommended

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.