Mixed reports on Rooney future as agent arrives for China talks

Wayne Rooney: Staying with Man Utd

Wayne Rooney’s agent Paul Stretford has flown to China to speak with four clubs all hoping to agree a move for the forward before Tuesday’s transfer deadline.

Guangzhou Evergrande, Beijing Guoan, Jiangsu Suning and Tianjin Quanjian are the interested clubs, according to the Daily Mirror, with a salary worth up to a reported £1million a week said to be on the table for the England and Manchester United captain.

Rooney – United’s all-time leading goalscorer – has 18 months left on his £300,000 a week contract at Old Trafford – but has been shunted down the pecking order under Jose Mourinho has not started a Premier League game since November.

Tianjin manager Fabio Cannavaro says they made an approach to sign Rooney but they yet to make an official bid.

Jose Mourinho admitted he cannot guarantee Rooney would still be at the club at the end of the season when asked recently.

“You’ll have to ask him,” the United boss said. “You have to ask him.

“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?

“What I can guarantee is that if Wayne one day leaves the club it is not because I want him to leave the club. That’s the only thing I can guarantee.

“I would never push – or try to push – a legend of this club to another destiny.

“So you have to ask him if he sees himself staying in the club for the rest of his career or if he sees himself moving.

“It is not a question for me because I am happy to have him.”

However, the Independent claims the 31-year-old is more likely to leave at the end of the season, and he would prefer to stay in England and join a Premier League club.

Rooney has started only three games in all competitions in the last two months and has not played since the start of the month because of a muscle injury.

The 31-year-old returned to training on Tuesday but missed United’s Europa League win over St Etienne, which saw goal scorer Henrik Mkhitaryan and Michael Carrick pick up injuries.

Rooney has a chance of making the bench at Wembley in what could prove to be his farewell appearance in a Manchester United shirt.