2. Wayne Rooney (Manchester United)
It was no secret that Chelsea were highly keen to make Wayne Rooney their main target this summer, as they showed a strong interest in the England international as soon as it was rumoured that he’d submitted a transfer request at Manchester United at the end of last season.
Frustrated with playing out of position so often at Old Trafford, a move elsewhere could have been just what Rooney needed to kick-start his career again, and there’s no doubt he would have been first-choice upfront at Stamford Bridge given Chelsea’s problems with misfiring pair Fernando Torres and Demba Ba. Various differing rumours suggest Chelsea may have been willing to go as high as £40m to land Rooney from their rivals, who were understandably keen not to see him go to another Premier League team. When Mourinho finally called on Rooney to submit a formal transfer request to the Red Devils, he declined to follow his advice, and appears to have committed his future to the club.
Still yet to sign a new contract, this saga may not quite be over, and there’s no doubt a revitalised Rooney could be a great signing for Chelsea at the moment, who instead turned to veteran Cameroon striker Samuel Eto’o as a backup. While Eto’o has no doubt been one of the best players of his generation, he is not at his peak like Rooney, and will only be a short-term option for the Blues.