Marouane Fellaini’s turbulent five and a half year tenure at Manchester United was drawing to an end on Tuesday night as Chinese Super League club Shandong Luneng closed in on a deal for the Belgium midfielder.

United are in advanced talks with Shandong - currently third in the Chinese top flight - over Fellaini’s sale.

Fellaini, 31, who has 18 months left on his £140,000 a week contract with United, is believed to have agreed personal terms with Shandong, who have sent a delegation to Manchester in a bid to wrap up a deal. Fellaini travelled back to Manchester from Antwerp on Tuesday, where he had been receiving treatment at the Move to Cure clinic on a calf injury that has sidelined him. He is not in the squad to face Burnley at Old Trafford on Tuesday night.

United have yet to offer any indication as to whether a fee has been agreed between the clubs or how much they want for Fellaini, who was the first signing of the post Sir Alex Ferguson era and who came to symbolise the club’s identity crisis in the six years since.

The Chinese transfer window does not close until Feb. 28 so there is no time pressure on a deal having to be struck before the close of the English window on Thursday but Shandong want it done as quickly as possible.