Marouane Fellaini, one of the most standout players during a match, thanks to his lanky figure and that one-of-a-kind hairdo, is increasingly making the Manchester United fans frustrated. What is his real role in the team anyway and why is Jose Mourinho so keen on holding on to him?

Questions we need answers to. 

Now that the club's pre-season tour of the United States of America is over, ending out with a 0-1 defeat against FC Barcelona, Fellaini's role in Manchester United is being heavily questioned by the fans.

The three major impacts the 29-year-old midfielder had in the match against Barca on Wednesday, was:

  • Laying Gerard Pique to the floor with a needless elbow on the Barcelona defender's face
  • Giving a dodgy back pass to goalkeeper Sergio Romero which was timely intercepted by a Barcelona forward, that could have led to another goal.
  • An over-dramatised dive after getting clipped on the toe by a Barcelona midfielder.

If his tackling and passing skills are becoming more questionable by the day, consider this - Fellaini missed a sitter in front of the goal while playing against Real Madrid in a previous pre-season 2017 match.

All he needed to do was put in just a slight and accurate touch, but the 'tree', as he is referred to by the Manchester United fans, sent the ball to orbit. 

Embarrassing was the only word that could define it!

fellaini, manchester united
Gene Sweeney Jr/Getty

We do understand that Morgan Schneiderlin's sale to Everton was one of the few howlers Jose Mourinho made after he came aboard as the manager of Manchester United. Now, his over-insistence of making Fellaini play almost every match of the pre-season, is not going well at all with the fans of the club.

Fellaini's contract with the club ends June 30 2018, and we cannot but help assume that the Belgian will definitely be a free agent next summer.

Mourinho and the Glazers and even Ed Woodward combined could try cashing on him this summer itself, but truth remains no club is keen on swooping on him...possible not even David Moyes, if the former Manchester United manager happens to get a role even in an Indian Super League side.

For now, United fans have been reduced to becoming harsh critics of Fellaini, and we cannot help but understand where this is indeed coming from.