Marouane Fellaini has left Chinese Super League side Shandong Taishan after five seasons, becoming a free agent.
He won one Super League title and three Chinese FA Cups after joining in 2019, scoring 50 goals in 137 appearances.
Shandong Taishan fans thanked the club legend for his years of service with a gigantic tifo dedicated to him.
The 35-year-old’s agent has denied rumours that he will retire, according to Fabrizio Romano, and he is therefore on the market.
It begs the question about where the former Manchester United and Belgium midfielder will end up next.
Marouane Fellaini has left Shandong Taishan, where he won four trophies, after five seasons
Fans paid tribute to him with an enormous tifo following a hugely successful spell with them
He became a fan favourite after joining in 2019 and scored 50 goals in 137 appearances
Fellaini started his career at Standard Liege in his homeland, staying for two seasons and winning the Belgian Pro League in 2007-08.
His exploits there caught the eye of Everton, who signed him for a then club-record £15million in September 2008.
It was here that Fellaini became one of the Premier League’s most unique powerhouses.
He spent five seasons at Goodison Park, and had genuine quality beyond his physicality – in his first season he scored nine goals and his record for the Toffees was 12 in 2012-13.
David Moyes made the midfielder his first signing as Man United boss in the summer of 2013, although he admitted that he had had other targets in mind.
It was a tricky start to life at Old Trafford, and in truth he blew hot and cold throughout his time there.
While he lifted an FA Cup, EFL Cup, and Europa League, he arrived as the club were in decline and could not lift the Premier League side to the heights they were reaching for.
For Belgium, he won 87 caps and finished third in the 2018 World Cup alongside a golden generation of talent.
With Everton, Fellaini developed a reputation as one of the most unique midfielders in England
He became David Moyes’ first signing for Man United in 2013 as they both moved from Everton
He managed 87 caps for Belgium and came third with them at the 2018 World Cup in Russia
In 2019 he joined the great wave of players upping sticks for China, penning a £235,000-per-week contract in a £10.4m move.
Here he would write his name into the history books of Chinese football and achieve true success.
Many footballers actually struggle when they go to a perceived easier league for big money in the twilight of their career, but not Fellaini.
He made the most of his time in China, developing a special relationship with supporters, and it will be interesting to see who – if anyone – could make a move for him now he is available.
