Transfer Centre

Wayne Rooney 'will not leave Manchester United this season'

By Barney Corkhill, Editor | 22 February 2017

Manchester United captain Wayne Rooney will not leave the club and move to the Chinese Super League before the end of this season, according to reports.

Manchester United captain Wayne Rooney will not leave the club for the Chinese Super League before the end of the current campaign, according to reports.

Speculation over the 31-year-old's future has been growing in recent weeks having missed the team's last five games for a variety of minor reasons, including this evening's Europa League second leg against Saint-Etienne.

Rooney was also linked with an exit in January, but China's transfer window does not finish until the end of this month and the England skipper is thought to be considering a £1m-a-week offer to become the latest player to move to the CSL.

United manager Jose Mourinho yesterday admitted that he could not guarantee Rooney's future, but numerous reports claim that any move is highly unlikely to happen within the next week, with a summer exit more realistic.

Rooney is both his club and his country's highest scorer of all time, but he has fallen down the pecking order at Old Trafford this term and has made just eight Premier League starts all season - the most recent of which came on December 17.

Beijing Guoan and Guangzhou Evergrande are among the Chinese clubs rumoured to be interested in Rooney.