Manchester United risk losing Marouane Fellaini for free in the summer

Manchester United midfielder Marouane Fellaini could leave Old Trafford when his contract expires at the end of the current campaign amid interest from five clubs.

Fellaini, 29, joined the Red Devils from Everton in the summer of 2013 for around £27.5m but took a while to settle in his new surroundings. The Belgium international was unfairly made a scapegoat under now West Ham United manager David Moyes, but current boss Jose Mourinho holds him in high esteem.

The former Standard Liege starlet seemingly has a very strong relationship with the Portuguese, but ESPN report that Fellaini is considering his future, knowing full well that the next contract he signs could well be the last 'big' deal of his career.

There are no shortage of suitors keen on the fuzzy-haired Belgian, with Galatasary, Besiktas, Inter Milan, Roma and AC Milan all reportedly showing varying levels of interest in Fellaini, who rejected a fresh contract offer from United a couple of months ago.

A number of the aforementioned interested parties have the financial wherewithal to offer Fellaini a rather large salary and that may prove to be problematic for United as they try to control their salary bill, which has risen by 13.5% over the last 12 months.

Reports in the summer claimed that Fellaini had actually agreed terms on a four-year contract with Galatasary but United boss Mourinho saw fit to block the midfielder's departure, with his importance to the Red Devils too great to lose from his perspective.

"It's easier for Galatasaray to get me than Marouane," a defiant Mourinho said. "If they need a manager, they have a chance, but Marouane? Forget it. He is too important to me."

Mourinho eventually got his wish but his bold statement did little to quash interest in United's wrecking ball, with Besiktas club official Metin Albayrak recently admitting that the gangly midfielder is on his club's radar.

"Fellaini is on our list, we have made efforts to sign him but not just him," he was quoted as saying by turkish-football.com. "He is not the only player we scouted, our scouting team watched 20 games live this week."