Report Claims Mourinho Is Ready to Sanction Sale of Marouane Fellaini to Bring in Shakhtar Star

Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho is reportedly ready to cash in on Marouane Fellaini in January, and then try to bring in Shakhtar Donetsk star Fred.

The Portuguese coach has apparently been told to sell before he buys when the winter window opens, and according to the Mirror, Belgian star Fellaini will be first out of the exit door.

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They claim an £8m deal is already in place for him to sign for Turkish side Besiktas in seven weeks' time, which means United would be taking a fair loss on the player who cost £27.5m from Everton back in the summer of 2013.

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Mourinho was full of praise for Fellaini in the aftermath of the defeat at Chelsea, but it would appear that it was simply an exercise to deflect from the reality of the situation.

And United have sounded out Fred as a potential incoming. The midfield dynamo has been in impressive form for the Ukrainian side this season, and was handed an improved long term deal only last summer.

La Liga sides Sevilla and Valencia are both reportedly interested, and Fred's people had been looking to take him to Spain, but Premier League interest in the form of United could be too tantalising to ignore.