- The midfielder has played in the Chinese Super League for the past five seasons
- Shandong confirmed they will hold a farewell ceremony to honor their captain
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Former Manchester United and Everton midfielder Marouane Fellaini will retire from football at the end of Shandong Taishan’s season, the Chinese club has announced.
Shandong will take on Henan FC on Saturday as the Chinese Super League season comes to an end.
Head coach Choi Kang-hee confirmed the 35-year-old midfielder’s upcoming retirement.
‘Although it is with some regret that I respect his decision to retire. He is a very great player,” Choi said, as reported by the Chinese News Agency Xinhua. ‘Maybe due to his age, his recovery after the match was quite difficult, usually taking a day or two.’
Fellaini has spent the past five seasons at Shandong after his five-and-a-half-year stint at Man United ended in 2019.
Former Manchester United midfielder Marouane Fellaini will retire from professional football
Fellaini has played for Shandong in the Chinese Super League for the past five seasons
Shandong Taishan have announced that they will hold a farewell ceremony for Fellaini on Saturday
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Shandong, who are assured of second place and qualification for the AFC Champions League next season, confirmed they will hold a farewell ceremony for Fellaini after the match.
“In recent years, Fellaini has sparked our home atmosphere again and again with goals and victories,” said a club statement.
“In this last battle, let us salute him and see him off with applause and cheers. A superstar when he came, a legend when he left.”
The midfielder will officially end his career after the Chinese FA Cup and AFC Champions League conclude.
Shandong will play the final of the Chinese FA Cup on November 25 and is involved in the group stage of the Champions League.
Fellaini scored 50 goals in 139 games for Shandong.
The midfielder had a mixed spell at Man United after being signed by David Moyes for £27 million in 2013.
Fellaini was part of Man United’s Europa League winning team in the 2017 season
The Belgian was a favorite of Jose Mourinho during his time as Man United manager
Fellaini will officially retire after the Chinese FA Cup and AFC Champions League conclude
He struggled to win over the crowd at Old Trafford with his boorish style, but managed to score a number of important goals and won the FA Cup, Europa League and League Cup during his time at the club.
Fellaini ultimately became United’s only summer signing in a season that saw the club finish seventh and Moyes sacked after just ten months in charge.
Moyes previously broke Everton’s transfer record by bringing Fellaini to Goodison Park from Standard Liege in September 2008 for £15 million.
Fellaini had a huge admirer in Jose Mourinho, with the former Manchester United boss using him as a Plan B option when United struggled to score.
He was also part of the Belgium team that finished third at the 2018 World Cup, in an international career that saw him score 18 goals in 87 caps.