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Marouane Fellaini reveals honest reasons for leaving Manchester United

The midfielder spent five-and-a-half years at Old Trafford before leaving in order to make the move to China, where he remains to this day.

Marouane Fellaini left Manchester United in 2019 to join Chinese side Shandong Luneng
Marouane Fellaini left Manchester United in 2019 to join Chinese side Shandong Luneng(Image: Getty Images)

Marouane Fellaini has lifted the lid on his reasons why he left Manchester United – and has admitted he was thinking of making his exit while still playing for the club.


The midfielder spent five-and-a-half years at Old Trafford, during which time he helped the club to four trophies but could stop United’s slide following Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement.


He left the club in early 2019 as he made the move to China with Shandong Luneng, where he remains to this day.


And he's now admitted the offer to make the move to Asia played on his mind even while he was still turning out for United.

“I remember a cup match against Reading, at the beginning of January, in 2019,” Fellaini told So Foot.

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“I started on the bench, I was told that I was not physically ready... I entered 20 minutes, but in my head, I had understood.

“As soon as the offer from China arrived, I left. It was useless to talk, to seek explanations. Even if you have earned money during your career, sometimes you also have to think about your future.”

Fellaini arrived at United as one of David Moyes’ first signings following the retirement of Ferguson, but fans’ opinions on his time at the club were often mixed.


“I played five and a half years in Manchester, and the really difficult season was the first,” Fellaini added.

“I was the first transfer of the post-Ferguson era, I arrived with David Moyes, who gave me my first contract in England, made me discover the high level, and I took everything in the head.


“Even when I didn't play for two or three months because I had a broken wrist, people criticised me. I was at home, on my sofa!

“I took a lot, but I matured. It was a bad season for me, but I learned a lot.

“Finally, I made my place and I'm proud of it because when I started playing in Belgium, I never thought I would play in England one day. At most, I saw myself playing in Ligue 1, which I watched when I was in Belgium.”

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