Rumoured Marouane Fellaini

[KonohasOrangeFlash 2,607]

If we buy Fellaini it shouldn't put us off buying a Deep lying playmaker like Benat. Lampard is off in the summer and I don't think the Luiz in CM experminent will last past Rafa's reign. Fellaini's price makes it doubtful we can buy both though. Maybe offer them Essien in the summer? Player + Cash.

[Pizy 18,963]

A partnership of Ramires and Fellaini would be jizz-inducing.

[Leif 6,006]

He's not a defensive midfielder. He cannot play the anchorman role well at all. He doesn't have the positioning to be a defensive midfielder. He doesn't have the passing to be a deep-lying playmaker.

If he's 'good enough to be a defensive midfielder for the European Champions', why on earth are Everton opting to use him as a supporting striker/attacking midfielder instead? lulz.

Partnering him with Ramires like so many suggest would be suicide. Not a bad combo for a midtable team though.

[Shogun 721]

He Can play that role, and he plays it very well. He just plays the second striker role better.

[DDA 9,950]

I'm with Shogun and have to disagree wih Leif. Fellani can and has played the DM role before, very, very well. People tend to catorgorize players into this DM slash DLP slash BoxToBox bullshit. A player can just play in the pivort without a branded title in terms of skill. Roy Keane was one of the best defensive/central midfielders the English game has ever seen and not because he had an amazing passing range or tacticak awareness it was simply because he use to break fuckers legs and steal the ball back. I would welcome Fellani here to do that for us all day long.

[YouNameIt 1,511]

People need to get in their heads that Fellaini isnt what they think he is. Dont believe that he is the answer we are lookin for in the pivot. He is NOT. Also he is too bloody expensive.

[The only place to be 11,313]

He's not a defensive midfielder. He cannot play the anchorman role well at all. He doesn't have the positioning to be a defensive midfielder. He doesn't have the passing to be a deep-lying playmaker.

If he's 'good enough to be a defensive midfielder for the European Champions', why on earth are Everton opting to use him as a supporting striker/attacking midfielder instead? lulz.

Partnering him with Ramires like so many suggest would be suicide. Not a bad combo for a midtable team though.

He played as a DM before he signed for Everton and started there as well if I remember correctly. We were tracking him and were interested in signing him, primarily because De Visser was very high on him. At Everton, he began to impress in that role too before he suffered an injury (again, this is from memory so might be slightly inaccurate).

The reason Everton are using him there is because that's where they have a need for him. It's not that complex a notion that one team might use a player in one way because they have a need there, whilst another might use him in a different position.

People need to get in their heads that Fellaini isnt what they think he is. Dont believe that he is the answer we are lookin for in the pivot. He is NOT. Also he is too bloody expensive.

£22 million for a proven, top-class (in my opinion) midfielder is about right considering that's roughly what we spent on Essien.

As for what he is, I think people are judging him too much by how Everton have recently used him. Like I said above, we first became interested in him when he was a DM but Everton got him. He's moved forward for Everton, but I still think he could be an excellent DM alongside someone like Oscar, De Bruyne or even Ramires or Luiz. Beyond his obvious physical gifts, he's very good technically and he has a certain steel about him that I like.

His versatility and ability to get goals in advanced positions would be a bonus. Look at the QPR game for example, where we struggled for penetration. Pushing him forward when we were in possession would have caused problems in the QPR defence, and that's something that can get you a couple of invaluable points a season.

[KonohasOrangeFlash 2,607]

£22 million is a good price for him. Sell Essien and Malouda and we could get him for about £16 million. Nice deal. I know he won't single handedly make our central midfield world class but he will add a lot there. This is definitely looking like a summer deal though.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

He Can play that role, and he plays it very well. He just plays the second striker role better.

He is too aggressive to play the holding role and his positioning doesn't help him either. But that's just my opinion.

[YouNameIt 1,511]

He played as a DM before he signed for Everton and started there as well if I remember correctly. We were tracking him and were interested in signing him, primarily because De Visser was very high on him. At Everton, he began to impress in that role too before he suffered an injury (again, this is from memory so might be slightly inaccurate).

The reason Everton are using him there is because that's where they have a need for him. It's not that complex a notion that one team might use a player in one way because they have a need there, whilst another might use him in a different position.

£22 million for a proven, top-class (in my opinion) midfielder is about right considering that's roughly what we spent on Essien.

As for what he is, I think people are judging him too much by how Everton have recently used him. Like I said above, we first became interested in him when he was a DM but Everton got him. He's moved forward for Everton, but I still think he could be an excellent DM alongside someone like Oscar, De Bruyne or even Ramires or Luiz. Beyond his obvious physical gifts, he's very good technically and he has a certain steel about him that I like.

His versatility and ability to get goals in advanced positions would be a bonus. Look at the QPR game for example, where we struggled for penetration. Pushing him forward when we were in possession would have caused problems in the QPR defence, and that's something that can get you a couple of invaluable points a season.

Highly doubt he would go for 22m.

[zolayes 14,489]

Im not convinced we are trying to sign him

[ulsterchelsea 3,221]

Im not convinced we are trying to sign him

agreed, column inches to be filled me thinks

[xPetrCechx 13,577]

Chelsea step up bid for Marouane Fellaini

http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/sport/football/premierleague/article3650679.ece

[DH1988 1,350]

no, not at the end of the season, NOWWW!!!

[Weckerz 3,781]

I've got a feeling he'll end up at United next season.

[Rambo 1,729]

I've got a feeling he'll end up at United next season.

Seems like it.

[Weckerz 3,781]

Seems like it.

Do you know something I don't?

I just have a hunch, nothing more

[Z-25 12]

Do you know something I don't?

I just have a hunch, nothing more

Fellaini bought a house in Manchester last month I believe.

[Atholy 1,293]

He played as a DM before he signed for Everton and started there as well if I remember correctly. We were tracking him and were interested in signing him, primarily because De Visser was very high on him. At Everton, he began to impress in that role too before he suffered an injury (again, this is from memory so might be slightly inaccurate).

The reason Everton are using him there is because that's where they have a need for him. It's not that complex a notion that one team might use a player in one way because they have a need there, whilst another might use him in a different position.

£22 million for a proven, top-class (in my opinion) midfielder is about right considering that's roughly what we spent on Essien.

As for what he is, I think people are judging him too much by how Everton have recently used him. Like I said above, we first became interested in him when he was a DM but Everton got him. He's moved forward for Everton, but I still think he could be an excellent DM alongside someone like Oscar, De Bruyne or even Ramires or Luiz. Beyond his obvious physical gifts, he's very good technically and he has a certain steel about him that I like.

His versatility and ability to get goals in advanced positions would be a bonus. Look at the QPR game for example, where we struggled for penetration. Pushing him forward when we were in possession would have caused problems in the QPR defence, and that's something that can get you a couple of invaluable points a season.

In fact he have always been a DM (also at Standard de Liege where he started). He played together with Witsel and Steven Defour (FC Porto but also a Man U prospect) and this midfield was certainly one of the reasons why Standard won the Championship twice in a row after having to wait for it 25 years!

Both Fellaini and Witsel played more defensively while Defour was the playmaker in front of them.

Interesting thing to know is that Fellaini himself likes the DM postion best and also claims he's best at this position.

He started at Everton as a similar player in DM. But I think the Everton sympathizers (I don't wanna hear fans here ) are better placed to give an update about his history there.

I know he started in DM... a little later he was in midfield... than attacking midfield... and eventually even as a full attacker.

I think one of his best attributes is the fact that Fellaini is soooo flexible. He can be your box to box player... both more over you can put him in every position between those boxes as well. Please don't be blinded by all his goals he is scoring at the moment (and I know a lot of people do this)... This makes people think he should absolutely be a AM or even ST. Don't forget his best attributes are air challenges and ball recuperation. He has a more than fair technique and passing skills for a beast of his size. And he proves to be the best wing man a playmaker (or a guy playing in the pivot position) can wish for! In that case I would love to see Fellaini and KDB playing next too each other in these roles. (of course KDB will also work with Essien, Mikel & Fellaini will also work with Ramires).

I he worth 22£ million? Must say for a hot prospect like him... that's a fair deal!

Btw: @SeB => I'm sorry I haven't replied on your (great!!) article! I must say it was a really good read and you mention a lot of valuable pro and con's. I know you're not convinced of his role here at Chelsea... This is the only thing we disagree on .

[Atholy 1,293]

Fellaini bought a house in Manchester last month I believe.

He officially claims he moved to Manchester because he was being "molested" by girls every time he left his house or went out in Liverpool!

To me I rather think Ms. Fellaini gave the interview instead of the big guy

You know what I also like about Fellaini. This is the car he comes to practice with. Probably he will have 4 bentleys a Ferrari & 2 aston martins on his driveway... but still!