After enjoying good form at the beginning of the season and therefore starting the first five Premier League games under Jose Mourinho, Marouane Fellaini has been in and out of the Manchester United team mainly because of the long-awaited introduction of Michael Carrick which led to a set midfield three of the 35-year-old playing alongside Paul Pogba and Ander Herrera.

And it's now become a rumoured possibility that the Belgium international could be on his way out of the club in the fast-approaching January transfer window amid reports suggesting the midfielder has already told teammates that he's considering a move away from Old Trafford.

Fellaini spotted in Milan

Images emerged yesterday of Fellaini and his brother Mansour enjoying a trip in Milan doing a hint of shopping and stopping at a cafe for a quick coffee, instantly sparking vivid speculation that he was looking for a way out of United with both AC Milan and Inter Milan apparent suitors. The big Belgian had enjoyed plenty of ups at the Reds since his £30 million move from Everton on Summer Deadline Day 2013, however, a lot of his contributions have been fairly negative and as a result, he's been made as some sort of scapegoat at times among his own fanbase and even certain media outlets.

Reinforcements in central midfield would surely be needed

The 29-year-old's contract runs out in the summer and if he's seen as a fringe player, despite Mourinho personally phoning up before the season started to state his intention to utilise him, it's more likely that the club will want to cash in next month instead of seeing him leave on a free at the end of the current campaign.

If Marouane Fellaini does head out of the exit door in the winter window it'll be interesting to see if a new midfielder is brought in or if current outcasts like promising Dutchman Timothy Fosu-Mensah are given a chance, and especially with the expected departure of Morgan Schneiderlin as well it's hard to believe that United's Portuguese manager will let two first team central midfielders go without signing at least one replacement.