Wayne Rooney ready to quit Manchester United in £52m move to China and be the highest-paid footballer in the world
England striker will earn £1million a week in the Far East and is set to complete his move before their transfer window closes next week
WAYNE ROONEY is ready to quit Manchester United next week.
Old Trafford boss Jose Mourinho yesterday admitted the United and England captain could leave before the Chinese transfer window closes next Tuesday.
United’s record goalscorer has a £1million-a-week offer on the table to play in China.
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And asked if Rooney will still be here at the end of next week Mourinho said: “You have to ask him.
“I cannot 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 one day Wayne leaves the club it is not because I want him to leave the club.
“I would never push a legend of this club to another destiny.
“You have to ask him if he sees himself staying in the club for the rest of his career or sees himself moving.
“It is not a question for me because I am happy to have him. You have to ask him, not me. I was very open with you in the answer.
“I don’t want him to leave.”
Rooney has started just one game in the last nine.
He has 18 months left on his current £250,000-a-week deal but United do not seem keen to take up their option to extend it for a year.
The striker, who has missed the last two games due to a combination of root canal surgery on a tooth and a muscle problem, rejoined his team-mates in training on Wednesday.
But the United and England skipper could only take part in the warm-up and Mourinho opted to leave him at home when the Red Devils travelled to Saint Etienne for the second leg of their Europa League last 32 second leg game.
Mourinho added: “Yes, he was doing the warming up and the basic things after warming up, but then when the training session was higher in intensity, he was not training. No chance for tomorrow, he is not here, he stayed back training, and let’s see for the weekend.”
United lead 3-0 from the first leg at Old Trafford last week.