Manchester United are reportedly set to allow Wayne Rooney to leave the club in order to secure a lucrative move to China before the end of next month.
The 31-year-old has been strongly linked with a switch to the Far East over the last week, and those rumours only seem to be intensifying as the days go on.
According to The Mirror, not only is Rooney in line to be offered a contract worth a staggering £140m, which would make him the highest-paid footballer in the world, but it’s claimed that Jose Mourinho and the club hierarchy are in agreement over letting him go.
While the European transfer window closes on Tuesday, Chinese Super League clubs can sign new recruits up until February 28 and so a transfer war is expected to break out with several top sides hoping to persuade Rooney to become their marquee signing.
It’s added by the Mirror that the chance to free themselves of Rooney’s hefty wages at Old Trafford will in turn give United more flexibility in their push to sign Antoine Griezmann this summer, and so it seems like a generally smart move from the Red Devils.
From Rooney’s perspective, the England international has gradually become a bit-part player at United and is seemingly set for a more regular role on the bench under Mourinho.
Having recently surpassed Sir Bobby Charlton to move up to top spot in the club’s all-time top goalscorer’s list, and with countless trophies to show for his efforts during his time with the Premier League giants, perhaps it is the most sensible time to move on with his legacy already secured.
With the likes of Marcus Rashford, Juan Mata, Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Anthony Martial fighting him for a spot in the starting line-up, coupled with the ridiculous money on offer from China, it would be no surprise if Rooney decided that the time was right to make the most of the opportunity.