Why Fellaini joining United worked out well for Arsenal

Marouane Fellaini is claiming that he turned down a move to Arsenal to sign for David Moyes’ Manchester United

Manchester United midfielder Marouane Fellaini has come out with claims that he turned down a move to Arsenal in favour of a switch to Old Trafford this summer.

The Belgium international midfielder has made an unconvincing start to life at United and many are now questioning his £27.5million price tag.

Decision

On his decision to join Manchester United he told beIN Sport: “I don’t want to tell you everything what happened during the transfer. This was done at the last minute.

“In a transfer window, there is always a list of players, you never know if it’s true or not. But for me, I knew [Moyes] was interested in me.

“Chelsea? No comment. Arsenal? It’s true, they were interested, but Manchester United convinced me to sign for them.”

Gutted

Arsenal fans must be really gutted that Fellaini chose United ahead of them, considering that their midfield is so weak this season! I mean Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger only has Santi Cazorla, Mesut Ozil, Aaron Ramsey, Jack Wilshere and Mikel Arteta available to him in midfield, not like the veteran Frenchman has many decent midfield options is it?

Comparison

On a serious note though, United’s signing of Fellaini does not even compare to Arsenal bringing in German playmaker Mesut Ozil from Real Madrid. The players are not even in the same league quality-wise.

Mesut Ozil is world-class and could mean the difference between the Gunners winning silverware this season or not. While Ozil has settled in the Gunners team like he has been there all his life, Fellaini is struggling to adapt to a club that is in transition.

Ozil has had to adapt to moving to a new country, club and learn a new language, while Fellaini has moved to a club barely an hour up the road from his previous club Everton, who are ironically outperforming the Red Devils so far this season.

Arsenal brought in Mathieu Flamini and Mesut Ozil this summer, while Fellaini was the only real arrival of note at Old Trafford. I know who got the better deal.

Better off

Arsenal definitely got the better deal off the two clubs. In fact, even Everton will now feel like they got a good deal for Fellaini. He was regarded as Everton’s best player under David Moyes, but that was because the style of play the Scot had his team playing.

Under new boss Roberto Martinez the Toffees are playing far more expansive football. Fellaini did not suit Martinez’s new style of passing football and I do not think there are many Everton fans that are missing Fellaini right now with Everton performing well under the former-Wigan boss.

The team are playing good, possession based football and winning games. The Toffees may not have always hit the long ball to Fellaini under Moyes, but they did use the tactic quite a bit.

Improvement

Marouane Fellaini needs to improve at Manchester United. He looked a good player at Everton, but the Toffees played to his strengths at times, often to the detriment of the team’s style of play.

Moyes has not tried to play to Fellaini’s strength at United, because United already have Wayne Rooney, who plays the role that Fellaini played for much of last season at Everton. Also I do not think that Manchester United fans would appreciate long ball football.

Fellaini has acknowledged in the past that he believes that central midfield is his best position. He has been played in that position for United in most of his appearances so far and under-performed.

Fellaini was brought in to solve United’s central midfield conundrum, but has yet to quite convince that he is good enough for the Red Devils. The Belgium international performed to a far higher standard at Everton, even when playing in central midfield.

Title          

As reigning champions Manchester United were always going to be up against it to retain their title after the retirement of Sir Alex Ferguson. Replacement David Moyes was always going to find it difficult in his first season as well.

The signing of Marouane Fellaini on deadline-day struck many as a panic buy. The Red Devils could have signed him earlier in the summer, but delayed the deal to the last-minutes on deadline day and ended up costing United £4million more than it would a few weeks earlier.

It seemed that David Moyes had run out of options and Fellaini was the only player he could bring in at the last-minute, not the actions of a United boss really.

It seems that Fellaini may have made the wrong decision by choosing United looking at the Premier League table. The Gunners are currently top of the league and 9/2 to win the Premier League, while United are currently 8^th and fourth favourites for the title at 9/1.

Did Marouane Fellaini make the right decision signing for United instead of Arsenal?