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Wayne Rooney unlikely to join Chinese Super League side

Wayne Rooney, who is not travelling for Manchester United’s Europa League match against Saint-Etienne, is expected to stay with Manchester United for the rest of the season but might leave after that.

Updated on: Feb 23, 2017, 24:01:21 IST
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Wayne Rooney is unlikely to leave Manchester United for China this month, according to a report on BBC.com

Manchester United’s Wayne Rooney is still not fit enough to play. (REUTERS)
Manchester United’s Wayne Rooney is still not fit enough to play. (REUTERS)

According to reports, Rooney was supposed to move to Chinese Super League club Tianjin Quanjian, but coach Fabio Cannavaro said the discussion hasn’t progressed. Right now, Rooney is expected to stay with Manchester United for the rest of the season but he is certain to leave the club after that.

Even Manchester United coach Jose Mourinho hasn’t been able to say if Rooney would stay or leave.

“You have to ask him,” said Mourinho on Tuesday when asked if there was any chance the 31-year-old could follow in the footsteps of the likes of former United team-mate Carlos Tevez and move there before the transfer window closes next week.

“Of course I can’t guarantee (he will be here). I can’t guarantee that I’m here next week, how can I guarantee that a player is here next season?”

Mourinho, though, insisted he wants Rooney to stay, saying: “I would never push, or try to push, a legend of this club to another destiny.”

Rooney trained with his United team-mates in Manchester on Tuesday morning but was not part of the 20-man squad that flew to France for Wednesday’s Europa League clash last 32 second leg with Saint-Etienne.

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