Manchester United’s search for a new midfielder could now be heading to David Moyes’ previous employers. As the pursuit of Barcelona’s Cesc Fabregas nears its conclusion, Everton’s Marouane Fellaini is the latest player to be linked with a move to the Premier League champions.
The Belgium midfielder, who has had a £23.5million buy-out clause allowing him to move to a Champions League club this summer, would be the perfect player to strengthen a Manchester United midfield, currently lacking star quality.
Strong in attack and defence, the 25-year-old is a fantastic box-to-box player. Prior to the 2013/13 campaign we saw him play a more reserved role for Everton, sitting in front of the back four. He earned many plaudits during his time as a defensive midfielder, and rightly so. Fellaini is a powerhouse of a player, capable of offering stability to any team across Europe.
As a result of Tim Cahill’s departure, last summer, Everton suddenly lacked the creativity in midfield that the Australian had provided for a number of years. Ingeniously, Moyes deployed Fellaini in a more advanced role. The Belgian thrived as he adopted this attacking midfield position, proving he has bags of quality with a return of 11 goals in 31 league appearances.
A move to Old Trafford would see him slot nicely into the Red Devil’s midfield. The club is likely to line-up in a 4-4-2 formation this season and the Belgian would revert to a more defensive role, once more, playing alongside Michael Carrick. This system would provide Carrick with the creative freedom he desires, as Fellaini’s arrival would relieve him of his duties at the back.
If that fails, Moyes always has the option to position the Belgian behind Robin Van Persie, presenting him with attacking responsibilities. We have seen him produce the goods at Everton and I’m sure the step up to Manchester United will cause very few problems, if any.
Fellaini would be a fantastic addition to the Manchester Club and a real statement of intent as Moyes looks to defend his predecessor’s Premier League title.
It is understood the Red Devil’s valuation is not as high as £23.5m, so the clubs could be set for a tussle over his services. It is unlikely that Everton will sell at a reduced price and are determined to hold firm, but United have the finances and pulling power to tempt Fellaini away from Goodison.