The answer to Chelsea was a flat ‘no’ from Manchester United, when the kind of offer which most supporters would consider a steal — Juan Mata, the kind of midfield technician they lack, or David Luiz plus £10million — came in for Wayne Rooney. But the club must be sorely tempted despite their reluctance to sell to a Premier League rival.
It has been known all summer that Jose Mourinho is ready to sell or trade Mata, Luiz or Fernando Torres, who could also now find himself a makeweight, being offered to Liverpool with cash for Luis Suarez. Just ask Napoli, with whom Chelsea have been trying to do business for Edinson Cavani for weeks. But while the new Chelsea manager feels Rooney delivers far offer more when fired up than Mata, who is not physical enough for Mourinho’s liking, United feel they can really do no more to fire him up.
With David Moyes bemused by claims from sources close to the player that he has insulted the forward, making him “confused and angry” the club may accept it is the end of the road.
United’s strategy since the departure of Sir Alex Ferguson has been to wheel out every available legend to remind Rooney publicly that he can become a part of their history and that no other club will be able to offer him the same hallowed status.
This plan was being discussed before Moyes officially took over on July 1.
Bryan Robson, David Beckham, Andy Cole and Rio Ferdinand have all spoken up. Beckham’s contribution was particularly valuable because there is now a lack of senior players left in the dressing room who can impress their views on Rooney.
Beckham’s words — “as a Man United fan, I want to see the best players at the club and I hope he stays” — were almost identical to Robson’s, suggesting a synchronised campaign. But Rooney allowed those close to him to suggest late yesterday that Moyes has insulted him in the press — a very narrow interpretation of all that the Scot has said about the player in the past two weeks.
Moyes will consider this interpretation of his words to be a gross distortion, though United, currently on tour in Sydney, are not responding to comments that Rooney is unhappy to have been characterised as a “second-choice squad player” by the manager.
There has been no direct suggestion from Rooney’s side that he is about to demand a transfer but no one is dismissing the suggestion either.
The champions had genuine hopes ahead of Moyes’s arrival that the new manager would be able to convince him that his future was at Old Trafford. The club consider him potentially one of their prime playing assets and he also carries a huge commercial value.
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Rooney told the club earlier this summer that he feared fans would react badly to him if they thought he had asked Ferguson for a transfer for the second time in three years.
He hoped that Moyes or United chief executive Ed Woodward may attempt to smooth things over by issuing a public clarification, which they haven’t — perhaps out of deference to Ferguson.
Now his thoughts of the fans’ reaction seem immaterial. He is at the point of no return. With a deal like this on the table, it would be in everyone’s interests if United push for a respectable improved offer, take Mata, and call it a day.
