If you thought the Wayne Rooney saga was over, then you might want to reconsider your position and think again, for Chelsea are seemingly poised to offer the United striker a deal that will match his current £240,000-per-week deal.
On Friday, during his first press conference, David Moyes was adamant that the former Everton was not for sale at any price and that Rooney was an integral part of United’s future, but that hasn’t deterred Chelsea from working behind the scenes, if some papers are to be believed.
The Daily Mail claims that “Rooney is Jose Mourinho’s first-choice transfer target and the Chelsea manager has been encouraged that he can still land the striker this summer.
“Although Rooney was told by David Moyes last week that he will not be allowed to leave United, there are issues which remain unresolved.”
The Mail believes Rooney would cost Chelsea £30m in transfer fees, plus a staggering £60m in wages over a proposed five-year deal.
Rooney might still be on Chelsea’s target but former United captain Bryan Robson believes the 27-year-old has all it takes to be loved again by the Old Trafford faithful (presumably not only by those fickle enough to look away when players disrespect their club) as Cristiano Ronaldo did after the 2006 World Cup when, incidentally, Rooney was the man the fans thought had been treated unjustly.
Robbo told the Mirror: “What you’ve got to do is go back to Ronaldo and that World Cup with Wayne when they had that incident. After two games, Ronaldo was playing fantastic and everybody forgot all about it.
“That’s the scenario for Wayne. If he starts the season well and scores a few goals and is enjoying his football, then the fans will forgive him – if there is anything to forgive him for.”
“Wayne has everything he needs to be happy at this football club,” continued Robson. “It is obvious that the manager, the players – and everyone here – wants Wayne to be playing his football here next season,” while the Independent reports that Andy Cole has also warned Rooney that leaving United could be a huge mistake: “You never want to leave this football club. If you do, you say to yourself, ‘I wish I had never left this football club’.”
But, perhaps, the strongest voice among those who have advised Rooney against leaving Old Trafford, has come from inside the club as Rio Ferdinand has warned his team-mate that seeking greener pastures elsewhere could be a mistake, however successful the team that Rooney might join is.
“I don’t see where you go better from here,” Ferdinand told the Guardian. “For instance, Cristiano has been ridiculous as a football player individually, but has he won more trophies since leaving than what we’ve won? That’s the way I look at it. I wouldn’t say that he shouldn’t have gone there; it was his dream to go there, so you have to respect that. But I just look at things in a black and white way: I want to win trophies so why would I leave here?
“Who am I going to go to who is going to win more trophies than us? Obviously you could say that Barcelona have won more trophies but I’m in my country where I’m from, and you’re proud when you win the league in your country,” continued Rio.
Elsewhere, United are ready to launch an improved bid for Everton and England full-back Leighton Baines. The Telegraph believes that United are set to offer £12m for Baines but “Everton have stood firm demanding for £20 million for their defender and the Merseyside club are unlikely to budge if United offer only a slight improvement to their opening offer.”
