Is Rooney Reviewing His Manchester United Future?

Is Rooney Reviewing His Manchester United Future?

Wayne Rooney cut a dejected figure in the post-match press conference last weekend after his Manchester United team had been beaten by Sunderland. With clubs from every continent keen to take his services, is the England striker’s time at Old Trafford nearing its end?

MOURINHO COULD HOLD THE KEY TO THE FUTURE

It seems as though Wayne Rooney has conceded defeat in Manchester United’s quest to reach next season’s Champions League. As this year’s competition re-starts this week, it must be hard for one of the world’s best footballers to watch former teammates such as Cristiano Ronaldo, strutting his stuff once again in Europe’s premier club competition. For the first time last weekend, cracks began to appear in the Liverpool born strikers armoury, as he told reporters that his current side were just “Not good enough” to challenge for major honours this season. But there may be a solution to all this; the imminent arrival of Jose Mourinho (odds on according to the betting exchanges to be in place at Old Trafford in the summer) could galvanize not only Rooney, but the whole club itself and playing under a coach who is a long-time admirer and who once tried to take him to Chelsea, may extend his stay at the “Theatre of Dreams”

FAR-EAST OFFERS GRABBING HIS ATTENTION

The re-branded and re-packaged Chinese Super League has seen some of the games hottest properties head to the Far-East and Wayne Rooney is on the wanted list. Recent reports suggest that the 30-year-old was offered a staggering £25 million pound deal to head out there and that offer appears to be still on the table. The best online football betting sites are currently offering odds of *11.00 for the England captain to be playing in the Far-East before the end of this summer’s transfer window; should such a move take place, it would be a huge statement of intent from a country obsessed by football.

UNITED SCORING RECORD REMAINS AN INCENTIVE

Another huge factor in his decision on whether to stay or go will be at what point he finally surpasses Sir Bobby Charlton’s all-time scoring record for the club. Rooney currently sits just five behind on 244 career goals with the Red Devils, and should he break that record before the end of season, then it could be a major factor in deciding his immediate future.

FAMILY MATTERS

Rooney has always been a family man at heart. His parents still live in Liverpool where he grew up and his wife and children are settled in the North-West. To move to a country such as China would be a huge step to take for all concerned, despite the lucrative offer that has reportedly been offered to him. There is also the small matter of being the current England captain who is hoping to lead his country to glory this summer in France; would head coach Roy Hodgson really want his skipper based on the other side of the world despite all of today’s advanced telecommunications?

*odds courtesy of Skybet

By: Steve Mitchell