Manchester United's deadline day signing Marouane Fellaini has revealed that playing for the club has been his lifelong ambition. The Belgian was signed on the last day of the transfer window for a fee reported to be £27.5 million.
"It's the biggest club in the world so of course I wanted to join this club," he told Manchester United's official website. "I tried everything to join the club. When I was young it was a dream to play for Manchester United."
Fellaini will come in to support a midfield that is noticeably bare following Paul Scholes' retirement and Darren Fletcher's illness. Fellaini hopes that the step-up in his career can bring success.
"I waited for a long time, I've worked hard for this and I'm very happy to join this big club, this great club," he continued. "Now I'm here so I'll try to give my best to the club. I want to win trophies. That's the most important thing."
United manager David Moyes has known Fellaini well from their time together at Everton. The Scot is sure that the player has the attributes to succeed at Old Trafford.
"Marouane is not someone you want to be playing against," Moyes was quoted as saying by Sky Sports. "He has attributes other people don't have. And with those qualities he has, I am sure he will be a big player for Manchester United."
Moyes is particularly excited by Fellaini's positional flexibility.
"He can play higher up the field if we need him to, just behind a main striker," the manager continued. "He can play as a defensive or holding midfield player. In fact he is comfortable in any position in the middle of the field."
Moyes is pointing out that his new signing can play alongside Michael Carrick, as the ball winner in midfield, or as the attacking midfielder behind Robin van Persie, as he did at Everton. With United's dearth of defensive midfielders and relative abundance of attacking midfielders, it seems more likely that Fellaini will play the holding role in midfield.
