Manchester United Captain Wayne Rooney Past His Sell-by Date?
The record breaking Englishman is apparently on the move but can’t seem to find a new club. Is this proof that Manchester United should have sold Rooney before and is it too late?
There was talk of a move to Everton with Rooney stating he’d never go to any other Premier League club but perhaps it’s time he leaves all his options open? The Manchester United top goalscorer looks unlikely to stay at Old Trafford next season unless he’s ok with having to warm the bench for most of the season.
The truth is Rooney should’ve profited from having a manager who so persistently chased him but even Jose Mourinho has deemed the England international not worthy of pulling on the famous red shirt. Rumours have it that Wayne’s already started pre-season training in order to win the Portuguese boss over but it’s probably too late for that.
It’s tough to see the captain’s career take such a huge dip but many would agree he’s been stealing a living from Manchester United for a while. The problem is, will the Red Devils regret for holding onto him for too long? Sir Alex Ferguson was ruthless in letting players even he held in high esteem go because they simply weren’t good enough.
The likelihood is that if SAF did stay on for one more year he probably would’ve sold Rooney. However, Moyes came in and decided to put his faith in a former player of his. Louis Van Gaal made the same mistake, often playing the former Everton man even when he didn’t deserve to play simply because he’s the captain.
Mourinho meanwhile, gave Rooney just as much time as anyone else to prove his worth and once he failed to do so found himself dropped by Jose. Not only was he not playing for United but Mourinho handled the situation so well that it hardly became a surprise to not see Wayne’s name on the team sheet.
Stats aren’t everything but they do indicate a steep decline in his contribution to the team and with his high wages, it’s unlikely anyone else will pick him up, even with all the money floating about in football. The problem is that Rooney doesn’t seem to want to take a pay cut in order to secure more first team football elsewhere.
His performances have been so bad and his wages so high that even clubs in China and the States aren’t interested in acquiring him despite the likelihood that his global name would bring them plenty of marketing opportunities as well as general interest in both leagues. Now Jose’s Manchester United face a problem.
It’s more likely that Rooney would like to stay on for the last year of his contract than move elsewhere for less money. If that’s the case, does Mourinho trigger his extension clause so that Wayne isn’t moved on without the club making some money off of him or does he let a Manchester United legend leave in the demeaning manner of being released?
Next: Chris Smalling Could Be On His Way Out of Old Trafford This Summer
The reality is there probably are clubs abroad who would take Rooney off of the Red Devils shoulders but it’s unlikely that Wayne’s pride would let them do that. He’s consistently and publicly said he thinks he still has plenty to offer. That may be so but not at a club like Manchester United who may regret not selling him earlier on.