Man Utd boss Jose Mourinho is set to receive a major boost as the club are closing in on securing a new deal for a key figure.
The Portuguese tactician has never made a secret of his desire to see midfield ace Marouane Fellaini extend his stay at Old Trafford, and he has now dropped the biggest hint yet that the Belgian international will remain next season.
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“The position is that we are almost there,” he told Sky Sports. “But in football, the almost is not enough. I think we are almost there, but I can’t celebrate because almost is not enough.
“I want to see the white paper with the United crest, Ed Woodward’s signature and Marouane’s signature.”
Fellaini’s current deal expires this summer, and so it was always crucial to move quickly to get a new agreement in place in order to avoid losing him on a free transfer at the end of the season.
Coupled with Michael Carrick’s retirement, if both were to leave then it would leave a real void in the Man Utd midfield which could have required Mourinho to act in the transfer market.
He may still choose to do so, but for now, it sounds as though he will be given good news as Fellaini appears to be edging ever closer to agreeing new terms with the Red Devils.