UNITED V BOURNEMOUTH Fellaini could have made China switch

UNITED midfielder Marouane Fellaini was offered to Chinese Super League club Tianjin, according to their manager Fabio Cannavaro.

Fellaini has struggled to win over Reds supporters during his three-anda-half years at the club and was booed by a section of the crowd at Old Trafford a week after he conceded a late penalty which gifted Everton an equaliser.

Despite that setback, manager Jose Mourinho retained faith in the 29-year-old and Fellaini scored crucial goals in the cup wins over Hull and Wigan in January, while he also played a key role in Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s equaliser against Liverpool.

United triggered Fellaini’s contract extension midway through January but Italy legend Cannavaro claims he rejected the opportunity to sign him.

Cannavaro told Sportwereld: “He was offered to me, but I told his agent that I was looking for a different profile.”

The Chinese Super League transfer window closed on February 28.

Fellaini’s United contract expires in summer 2018 but he could remain at the club beyond the summer amid uncertainty over fellow central midfielders Michael Carrick and Bastian Schweinsteiger.

Schweinsteiger, 32, is free to leave United and Carrick, whose deal expires in less than six months, is yet to be offered an extension and his testimonial will be staged in June when he is still under contract. JOSE Mourinho insists Luke Shaw could develop into the best left-back at United.

Shaw, 21, has played once in the last three months despite being fit since the turn of the year and was excluded from last week’s EFL Cup final squad.

However, Mourinho confirmed yesterday that Shaw would be in the squad for the visit of Bournemouth this lunchtime, when the ex-Southampton defender could line-up in a league fixture for the first time since October.

Mourinho has publicly criticised Shaw twice this season but appeared to offer the England international an olive branch.

“In practical terms we have lots of left-backs,” Mourinho said.

“It doesn’t look like it but the reality is that Blind, Shaw, Rojo, Darmian are all playing leftback and can play there. They are different players.

“I think the one that should be in the couple of years the best of all – because potentially he should have all the conditions to be the best of all – is Luke Shaw.

“By age, by physicality, by intensity, aggressive going forward, he should be the best. But to be the best you need to work hard. It’s what he’s trying to do.”

Shaw was the last United leftback to start three games in succession almost six months ago and Mourinho added the amount of options means he has to rotate.

“I think I have the best rightback in the world and I rotate a lot in the right-back position,” he said of Antonio Valencia. “I think Valencia is absolutely phenomenal and we played this season Valencia, Darmian, Ashley Young, Eric Bailly, Timo Fosu-Mensah, Axel Tuanzebe, I had six different right-backs on the pitch this season.

“So sometimes you do it by circumstances. We have in practical terms.”

Mourinho also hopes the summer transfer window elevates United to a ‘different level’ and believes Zlatan Ibrahimovic will play a ‘fundamental’ role in their strategy.

Ibrahimovic, 35, has already netted 26 times this season and United are trying to convince him to agree to a one-year extension after this season.

Mourinho remains adamant the Swede will play for United next term and spoke about his probable influence on new arrivals.

“Zlatan’s future I see him staying with us,” Mourinho reiterated. “Because he the initial agreement was for him to come for one year plus us to have the option, so I see him staying with us. Amazingly successful year for him, doesn’t matter what is going to happen until end of the season but the number of goals he’s scored, the trophy he won, the impact he had, the two times he played in the cathedral [Wembley] is more than enough to consider him a success at Manchester United.

“But this team has a lot to grow up, the next transfer window will bring the team to a different level because we are going to try and bring a few players.

“So I think Zlatan will be fundamental in the second year of this team and I think he’s willing to stay but that’s my way, right or wrong.”