Jose Mourinho has revealed that Marouane Fellaini is on the verge of signing a new contract with Manchester United.

Fellaini came off the substitutes’ bench in the second half to score a stoppage-time winner against Arsenal that guarantees Champions League football at Old Trafford next season.

The Belgium midfielder is out of contract at United at the end of the season and talks over a new deal had hit an impasse, but Mourinho suggested there had been a breakthrough in negotiations and is hopeful the player will remain at the club.

Fellaini has struggled for acceptance at United since his £27.5 million move from Everton in 2013 but Mourinho has repeatedly stressed the Belgian’s importance to his plans and, with Michael Carrick due to retire at the end of the season, the manager has been eager not to lose two experienced midfielders this summer.

“The position is that we are almost there but in football almost is not enough,” Mourinho said. “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 and Ed Woodward’s signature on it first.”