Manchester United captain rejected an offer to join Chinese Super League side Beijing Guoan in the summer, according to the club’s honorary chairman Luo Ning.
England and Manchester United captain Wayne Rooney was linked with a move away from the club all through the summer, with the more prominent rumours linking him with a big money move to Chinese Super League.
Beijing Guoan chairman Ning has confirmed the same, claiming that his club met with Rooney’s agent Paul Stretford before the start of the current season. Rooney, however, insisted that he wanted to stay at Old Trafford as long as his health permits him to.
Speaking to Beijing radio sports show Sports Night Talks, Ning said: “We indeed made an approach for Rooney at the beginning of the season but he’s informed us that he wants to stay in Manchester United. Rooney says he’ll keep playing in the Premier League as long as his health allows. We even met with his agent.”
Ning’s words comes in the wake of former England manager Sven Goran Eriksson’s statement to the Sun saying Rooney is a “a very good player with a lot of quality” who is “the type of player the [Chinese] league will be after.”
Rooney has been in and out of Jose Mourinho’s side this season after failing to live up to the high standards that he has set for himself over the years. The 31-year-old, though, made a comeback into the Manchester United line-up last week as he played an instrumental role in the Red Devils’ clinical 3-1 win over Swansea City.
Rooney is currently under contract at United until 2019, and he seems determined to fight for his place in the team. As Arsenal come visiting to Old Trafford next Saturday, Rooney will be keen to lead his side to a crucial win as Manchester United look to continue their winning momentum.