Manchester United's efforts to sign Everton midfielder Marouane Fellaini appear to have broken down, according to BBC Sport's Chief Football Writer Phil McNulty. The Premier League champions have been linked with the 25-year-old for much of the summer and have failed with two bids so far, one of £28 million and the second at the value of £36 million. However, United manager David Moyes was hopeful of finally seeing a deal to reunite him with the Belgian at Old Trafford come to fruition, though the move now appears to be on the rocks. According to McNulty, Everton boss Roberto Martinez attended a work permit hearing in an effort to gain permission to bid for Porto midfielder Fernando, but the news from Portugal is that a move will not happen. The Brazil international was seen as a direct replacement for Fellaini, and it is understood his arrival was dependent on whether the latter would be sold to United. With Fernando unlikely to join the Goodison Park club, United could miss out on their target, too, which will come as a massive blow with just less than five hours of the transfer window left to run. United have missed out on a series of players in what has been a frustrating summer of inactivity for Moyes, who has seen the likes of Thiago Alcantara and Cesc Fabregas slip through his net so far. And now, the news is he will also miss out on Fellaini and his teammate Leighton Baines, who is set to remain on Merseyside. That, according to Spanish football writer Andy West, could see Moyes turn his attentions to Granada fullback Guilherme Siqueira. Meanwhile, Athletic Bilbao's Ander Herrera could arrive as an alternative to Fellaini.
Joseph is an accredited football journalist and has interviewed nearly all of the current 20 Barclay's Premier League managers. He is also a correspondent for Bleacher Report and has written for Caught Offside and Give Me Football.
