Manchester United Transfer Rumours: Red Devils Should Turn to Marouane Fellaini

It's time for Manchester United to say goodbye to Barcelona's Cesc Fabregas and say hello to Everton's Marouane Fellaini.

More and more, it appears incredibly unlikely Fabregas will be coming to Manchester United this summer, especially after young midfielder Thiago Alcantara completed his move to Bayern Munich. There's just no way Barca would let Alcantara and Fabregas go in the same summer, right?

Right. And we know because Barcelona's manager, Tito Vilanova, has said Fabregas will be staying.

From The Telegraph:

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The current La Liga champions insisted the 26-year-old was not for sale and Vilanova has now confirmed that Fabregas is not wanting to move on either.

Vilanova said: "I'm aware there have been offers, I had a conversation with him and he told me that he wanted to continue here and that he didn't want to go to another big club.

"He wants to succeed here."

"

So that's where Fellaini comes in. From David McDonnell of the Mirror:

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The champions will turn their attention to Everton talisman Marouane Fellaini if they fail in their pursuit of Fabregas.

Fellaini has a £24m release clause in his contract and it is understood ex-Toffees boss [David] Moyes is keeping that option open.

"

But according to Jamie Jackson of The Guardian, Moyes wants to add both players to his midfield next season. Good luck with that one. 

Fellaini would be a really nice fit for Manchester United. He offers versatility in the midfield, as he's able to play in the hole behind the striker or settle deeper and operate as a box-to-box midfielder.

At United, he'd likely play a much deeper role than he did at Everton, especially if Wayne Rooney remains at the club. Even if Rooney departs, however, Shinji Kagawa would probably slide into the hole behind the striker. 

That would allow Fellaini to slide into a spot he's more suited to playing, a box-to-box role further back on the pitch, and pair with Michael Carrick. 

While he isn't as technically gifted as Fabregas—or Alcantara, whom the Red Devils will regret losing to Bayern Munich—he would give United a more physical presence in the center of the pitch and a dangerous target in the box, as he's deadly in the air. 

And Moyes is certainly familiar with him, having coached him up at Everton, and would know exactly how to get the most from the Belgian. 

Fellaini is fresh off an excellent season for Everton, having scored 12 goals and adding seven assists in all competitions. WhoScored.com gave him a 7.57 match rating for the Premier League season, ranking him seventh in the league in that regard.

He's not Fabregas, but he still would be a good fit. It's time for Manchester United to stop making eyes at Fabregas—anyone can see he still has feelings for Barca—and instead ask Fellaini to dance. 

It isn't just saying goodbye, Manchester United, it's also saying hello. And it's time to do it.