Zayn Malik wants to get married "sooner rather than later".

Zayn and Perrie

Zayn and Perrie

Zayn Malik wants to get married to Perrie Edwards "sooner rather than later" because he is feeling "scared and lonely".

The 22-year-old singer announced his decision to quit chart-topping boyband One Direction earlier this week, and is reportedly now eager to tie the knot with his fiancee, Little Mix's Perrie Edwards, because he is feeling "scared".

A friend revealed: "Zayn is going to get married sooner rather than later because he's scared and lonely."

The couple began dating in 2012 and got engaged in August 2013, but the 'Steal My Girl' hitmaker is reportedly nervous she may leave him, especially as pals think there are cracks in their relationship.

The source told HollywoodLife.com: "Perrie is his security blanket, and he wants her with him keeping him safe. But their relationship is flawed and his friends think it would be a mistake to marry her."

The news comes just over a week after Zayn was forced to deny being unfaithful after he was spotted holding hands with another woman while on a night out in Phuket, Thailand.

Following the incident, he wrote on Twitter: "I'm 22 years old... I love a girl named Perrie Edwards. And there's a lot of jealous f**ks in this world I'm sorry for what it looks like x (sic)."