Say what you like about Marouane Fellaini, and many did, he certainly had his effective moments in a Manchester United shirt.
The Belgian was always an awkward fit for United, but he was always high in effort, and when utilised properly, was an attacking weapon in his opponents’ box.
One man who didn’t agree was Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who immediately turfed Fellaini out of the club while he was just interim manager in January 2019, even though the midfielder had signed a new deal just the previous summer.
Fellaini was sold to Chinese club Shandong Luneng for £10.5 million, and there he has remained ever since.
Fellaini celebrates 100th appearance in China
Fellaini has certainly been happy at his new club in China, where he has made a home for himself and has found a more pressure-free environment.
At the weekend he celebrated his 100th appearance for Shandong Luneng, who sit in first place in the Chinese Super League after 24 games.
The Belgian commemorated his century of appearances with a special shirt to pay tribute to the occasion, sporting a far less distinctive hairstyle these days.
Fellaini’s spell in the Far East has been a successful one. He won the Chinese Super League in 2020/21, and is currently on course to win a second title.
He has also won the Chinese Cup in 2020 and 2021, adding to his trophy collection. Fellaini won the FA Cup in 2016 at Manchester United, plus the Europa League and League Cup in 2017.
After not always being treated fairly by the press during his time in England, it is good to see the 34-year-old midfielder enjoying the latter stages of his career.
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