Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho has been told that his pursuit of Rooney is still on but United will have to line-up a replacement before a deal for the England striker can be agreed.
Check in to Transfer Window: Done Deal Alerts
Manchester United are willing to sell striker Wayne Rooney to Chelsea but will have to make their own marquee signing if a deal is to be agreed, the Daily Mirror reports.
Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho has been told there is still a chance of signing his main transfer target but he will have to wait and see if the Red Devils make any headway in their own transfer business.
It had appeared that Chelsea’s chances of signing Rooney were over after David Moyes made it clear that the England international would not be leaving Old Trafford this summer.
However, the Red Devils stance appears to have softened, with Moyes becoming increasingly frustrated at the questions he has answer on the subject of Rooney’s future.
The Scot wants to press ahead with his own transfer dealings and wants to sign a quality attacking midfielder to play just off Robin Van Persie, the role he originally wanted Rooney to fulfil.
Moyes has had a tough first summer at Old Trafford, with several of his main transfer targets rejecting the opportunity to come to Manchester.
However, the Scot has said that he will sign some quality players before the transfer window ends and if that is true, it could mean Rooney’s move to Chelsea is back on.