Mourinho coy over Rooney as China speculation swirls
SAINT-ETIENNE, France — Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho was coy on questions about Wayne Rooney’s future on Tuesday amid British media reports that the striker is closing on a move to China.
The 31-year-old England international’s lack of gametime at United has fueled speculation in recent months that he could be tempted by a lucrative move to the Chinese Super League (CSL).
The Sun newspaper reported on Wednesday that Rooney has been offered around $1.2 million a week by an unspecified CSL club, adding that a deal could be concluded before the Chinese transfer window shuts on Tuesday.
That would make Rooney the world’s highest-paid soccer player, although other outlets put a more conservative figure on his potential wages.
He is also reportedly weighing interest from Major League Soccer in the United States and his former club, Everton.
Speaking ahead of United’s Europa League clash against Saint-Etienne, which Rooney will miss through injury, Mourinho did not offer any guarantees on his captain’s Old Trafford future.
“You have to ask him,” said Mourinho when asked if there was any chance Rooney could follow in the footsteps of former United teammate Carlos Tevez, the most high-profile of the CSL’s recent bigmoney imports.
“Of course I can’t guarantee (he will be here). I can’t guarantee that I’m here next week, how can I guarantee that a player is here next season?”
However, Mourinho said he did not want Rooney to leave.
“I would never push, or try to push, a legend of this club to another destiny,” he said.
Rooney trained with the rest of the squad on Tuesday but was not part of the 20-man group that flew to France for Wednesday’s last-32 tie, which United leads 3-0 from the first leg.
Asked if Rooney would be fit for Sunday’s League Cup final against Southampton, Mourinho replied: “I don’t know. This morning was the first he didn’t train 100 percent with the group.
“He is injured, I cannot do miracles at that level. He has been injured for two or three weeks.”
Rooney, who has started just one of United’s last nine games after being a mainstay since arriving from Everton in 2004, has 18 months left on his contract, which pays him $310,000 per week.