Jose's stirring up trouble again! Mourinho claims Rooney will leave United in the summer... but not to the Premier League

  • Chelsea boss insists United will try to offload Wayne Rooney this summer
  • Mourinho says United may try to sell abroad rather than to a domestic rival
  • Chelsea still interested in Rooney having failed to land him in the summer
  • But Mourinho's barbs with United may hamper chances of signing the striker
  • Mourinho said earlier in the week that he had inside information about the mood at Old Trafford, saying the club are 'not happy'

By Sami Mokbel

PUBLISHED: 17:00 EST, 17 January 2014 | UPDATED: 17:20 EST, 17 January 2014


Jose Mourinho claimed on Friday that Manchester United are ready to sell Wayne Rooney in the summer.

The Chelsea manager cranked up the heat ahead of Sunday's Barclays Premier League clash against United by suggesting Old Trafford chiefs will look to offload Rooney to an overseas club at the end of the season.

Rooney is expected to miss Sunday's game with a groin injury but United are considering risking him and he could travel with the team.

On his way? Mourinho claims Rooney could be off in the summer, but most likely to a European side

On his way? Mourinho claims Rooney could be off in the summer, but most likely to a European side

It's top secret: Mourinho's Chelsea are third in the Premier League table, nine points ahead of United

It's top secret: Mourinho's Chelsea are third in the Premier League table, nine points ahead of United

Elsewhere: Mourinho claims United are not willing to sell Rooney to a direct rival in the Premier League

Elsewhere: Mourinho claims United are not willing to sell Rooney to a direct rival in the Premier League

Mourinho remains interested in the England striker, having failed in a bid to land him last summer, but he said: ‘United were clear in the way they approached the Rooney situation.

‘They don’t swap. They don’t sell. I don’t see that changing, they were very clear about that.

‘Will it be the same this summer? I think maybe this summer they will try to sell to a non-direct rival. But they were very clear, not to a domestic direct rival.’

Mourinho will return for Rooney at the end of the season but his barbs at United are not likely to help his attempts to land the forward.

The Chelsea boss said earlier this week he had inside information about the mood at Old Trafford.

One up, one down: Rooney's overall performances have improved under David Moyes, but United's haven't

One up, one down: Rooney's overall performances have improved under David Moyes, but United's haven't

At the top: Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho during a press conference at Cobham on Friday
Vital: Mourinho's Chelsea face United on Sunday in one of the biggest games of the season

Tough at the top: Mourinho was in typical form at a press conference on Friday ahead of Sunday's match

Not happy: Mourinho says his opinion of United is based on his words with Sir Alex Ferguson over the years

Not happy: Mourinho says his opinion of United is based on his words with Sir Alex Ferguson over the years

The Portuguese told London’s Evening Standard newspaper: ‘My feeling, which is based on years of communicating with Sir Alex and some inside information, is Man United are not happy, but they are calm.’

David Moyes, whose side trail third-placed Chelsea by nine points, yesterday said Mourinho had apologised to him for those comments.

‘I have seen it and I have had an apology from the Chelsea media department and from Jose.’

Moyes refused to be drawn about the possible departure of Rooney but said he would not talk about players at rival clubs.

‘I wouldn’t do it but everybody has their own style,’ said Moyes. ‘I can’t tell you what Jose’s motivation is but only time will give you the answer about Wayne.’

Previous: Moyes and Mourinho met for a 0-0 draw in August at Old Trafford - a drab affair

Previous: Moyes and Mourinho met for a 0-0 draw in August at Old Trafford - a drab affair

Rocky: Rooney's relationship with Ferguson was tentative in the final years of the Scot's tenure at United

Rocky: Rooney's relationship with Ferguson was tentative in the final years of the Scot's tenure at United

Rooney has 18 months left on his contract, meaning United may be forced to sell him this summer to ensure they do not lose him for nothing at the end of next season.

But Moyes, who revealed Rooney has returned to light training at the club’s Carrington HQ following a warm-weather break in Egypt,  re-iterated the club will try to extend the striker’s deal.

He said: ‘The club will deal with that. They will do all the things they need to do, no question.’

Mourinho yesterday revealed Sir Alex Ferguson told him he was retiring two weeks before making the decision public.

Raising a smile: Rooney (centre) poses with fans during a break from his warm weather training in Egypt

Raising a smile: Rooney (centre) poses with fans during a break from his warm weather training in Egypt

The pair have a close relationship off the pitch and Mourinho admitted he was nervous when Ferguson trusted him with his secret.

‘I knew a couple of weeks before the announcement because my friend (Ferguson) was nice to me and trusted me completely,’ said the Chelsea boss.

‘He told me something really important before the press. He said I was one of his best friends in football so he wanted me to know before I read about it. 

‘I was afraid because I was sure someone might leak and the boss might think it had come from me. But it would never have.

‘It was the same way he knew from me I was coming back to Chelsea.’

Doing the business: Danny welbeck has lead United's attack in Rooney and Van Persie's absence

Doing the business: Danny welbeck has lead United's attack in Rooney and Van Persie's absence

 

More...


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Bang on Jose on his day Rooney can be a special player..so that means he can only play for special clubs...well figured out Mr Mourinho.....

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how can anyone not love mourinho and his schoolboy sense of mischief? mourinho- legend- never die

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Voyeur. Remember it Jose?

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I really think this guy is bitter about not getting the united job. haha his behaviour towards moyes and united is becoming obsessive and its quite worrying lol

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I have it on good authority that the Maureenho inside informant at sOld Trafford is a certain Rooney.

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No you don't..

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Lollololololol the wee bald eagle's gonna fly lololololol

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He will be devastating if he goes to Barcelona. He is the missing part of the puzzle for the Catalan club Although as a united fan I hope he stays

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This always happens. We see articles like 'Rooney exiting United' or 'Shock move for Rooney', yet nothing comes of it. Circa 2010-2014; Rooney transfer gossip has been going around.

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Again Mourinho talking about other players, other clubs only weeks after telling us thay that's not the way Chelsea do things.. Then again, it's the same bloke who's told us Chelsea don't have divers, the referee went in the Barcelona/Man Utd dressing , Gallas would score an own goal, etc.....

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With your post name I wouldn't be too quick to accuse people of being dishonest . Barred for life wasn't he ?

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Eh, I think United have had the best out of Rooney. It's pretty obvious he's the kind of player that's going to lose a lot of pace fairly rapidly, as good as he is on the ball, has never been a consistently prolific scorer. I could see him descending into anonymity if he left for a team that's not built around him. Just look at his performances for England...Even at this stage I'd take an inflated transfer fee for him and use it to rebuild from the ground up.

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