Rooney to finish season with Man United
Wayne Rooney has put a potential move to China on hold by announcing that he will stay at Manchester United until the end of the season.
But the United and England captain is fighting a losing battle to salvage his Old Trafford career, with Jose Mourinho already having found his likely replacement in Antoine Griezmann, the Atletico Madrid forward whom he wants in place for the start of pre-season.
Rooney, 31, will consider his options at the end of the current campaign, when he will have 12 months left on his £300,000-a-week (NZ$520,000) contract at Old Trafford but he is expected to leave the club if he remains a peripheral figure under Mourinho, with China or the United States his most likely destination.
The Daily Telegraph reported last week that Rooney was considering a move to the Chinese Super League, where he stood to earn £32 million a year after tax, before the close of their transfer window on Tuesday.
With the full knowledge and support of United, Paul Stretford, Rooney’s adviser, has been in China this week for talks with suitors, who believe recruiting the current United and England captain would be a huge commercial coup for the country.
But after discussions with Stretford and his wife, Coleen, Rooney felt his personal and professional interests would be best served by remaining at United for the next few months.
As well as being concerned about the sudden upheaval to his three young children – Kai, Klay and Kit – Rooney has been unable to make his own assessment of how and where living in China would work, a process that would require more time. Rooney was also unwilling to turn his back on the prospect of more silverware, with United in the EFL Cup final against Southampton on Sunday (Monday NZ time) and challenging for the FA Cup and Europa League, as well as a top-four berth. He feels he can still play an important role, despite being on the margins. Rooney has form for stepping back from the brink of major moves, notably performing an 11th hour about-turn in order to stay at Old Trafford in October 2010.
Nonetheless, he appeared to keep the door open to a summer move to China by thanking clubs for their interest in him. In a carefully worded statement released on Thursday (Friday NZT), Rooney said: ‘‘Despite the interest which has been shown from other clubs, for which I’m grateful, I want to end recent speculation and say that I am staying at Manchester United.
‘‘I hope I will play a full part in helping the team in its fight for success on four fronts. It’s an exciting time at the club and I want to remain a part of it.’’
Contrary to suggestions that Rooney and Mourinho have not talked for weeks, there has been no rift, even though the player was surprised to hear his manager claim this week that he could not guarantee Rooney would stay and that the ball was in his court.
Mourinho has gradually phased the striker out of the team and United are some way down the line to securing a deal for Griezmann, whose £85 million release clause they are prepared to trigger. Atletico want to keep the Frenchman for another season but they are already scouting for potential replacements, with Griezmann’s compatriot Alexandre Lacazette a leading target.
If Rooney moved to China or the US, United would secure a reasonable transfer fee and free up space on the wage bill for Griezmann, who stands to earn a package comparable to the £290,000 a week earned by his friend, Paul Pogba, at Old Trafford. Emmanuel Petit, the former France midfielder.
Henrikh Mkhitaryan suffered a hamstring injury in Wednesday’s Europa League tie against StEtienne, which could open up a place for Rooney on the bench against Southampton at Wembley. Rooney was omitted from the squad in St-Etienne, despite training the previous day, and is also thought to have been available for the FA Cup tie against Blackburn three days earlier despite not being selected.
Rooney has completed 90 minutes just twice since early December and his club record 250th goal against Stoke last month was his first in the league since August 14.