Manchester United Transfer Rumours: Champs Must Mount Bid for Marouane Fellaini

If Manchester United don't add any new pieces this summer, the Red Devils will have an awfully difficult time defending their Premier League crown in 2013-14.

New boss David Moyes has been targeting several big-name midfielders for a majority of the offseason, but his pursuit of Barcelona's Cesc Fabregas has appeared to fall flat. That said, the former Everton manager would be wise to go all-in on Toffees star Marouane Fellaini.

According to The Mirror's John Cross, Moyes has launched a bid for his former player, who has a £23.5 million buyout clause in his contract that, if met, would allow him to jump to United this offseason.

But soon after Cross' report, Everton manager Roberto Martinez denied that any club had placed a bid for Fellaini, according to Sky Sports.

Regardless of what the case actually is, United can ill afford to miss out on landing a versatile midfield talent like Fellaini. With Manchester City improving, and Chelsea and Arsenal both bringing back talented cores, the Red Devils are set to face some very stiff competition in England next season.

Plus, both Chelsea and Arsenal have been linked to United star Wayne Rooney. The club has maintained that it has no plans to move Rooney, especially not to another English club. But he hasn't appeared all that content at Old Trafford since he was forced to take a backseat to Robin van Persie last year. 

While van Persie—last season's leading goalscorer in the Premier League—gives the defending champions a huge punch in the final third, United needs to add fresh talent in midfield in order to be considered the favorite. 

Fellaini would add a unique presence to United's current midfield. At 6'4", the 25-year-old Belgian can be unstoppable at times. 

More so than his size, though, Fellaini's versatility makes him a major weapon. He scored 12 goals in 36 appearances in all competitions for Everton last season, but he can be every bit as effective in a defensive role, winning challenges on the ground or in the air and sparking the attack.

Having played the past five seasons at Goodison Park in the Premier League, Fellaini is no stranger to the intense competition he would face as a member of the defending league champions. 

Plus, he already has a relationship with Moyes, who helped him develop at Everton and knows how to best utilize him on the pitch. 

While Fabregas may have been United's No. 1 target this summer, Fellaini is a phenomenal fit for the defending champions, and one that the club must make a strong bid for before it's too late. 

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