Chelsea confirms Rooney bid, denies trade-off
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E-mail Shanghai Daily, July 18, 2013
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Chelsea's Ramires (left) and Cleiton Silva of Thai All-Stars vie for the ball during their friendly match in Bangkok yesterday. Romelu Lukaku scored the only goal of the match to hand Jose Mourinho a winning start to his new reign as Chelsea manager. |
Chelsea yesterday confirmed it had made a written offer for Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney for an undisclosed sum, but denied that any player had been proposed as a make-weight.
British reports earlier said the Premier League champion had rejected Chelsea's offer for the disaffected England striker.
"Chelsea Football Club can confirm that yesterday it made a written offer to Manchester United for the transfer of Wayne Rooney," the club said in a statement.
British media said Chelsea had made a British pound 10 million (US$15.1 million), with either midfielder Juan Mata or defender David Luiz thrown in.
The club statement did not reveal the price offered for Rooney but it said no player had been offered as part of the deal.
"Although the terms of the offer are confidential, for avoidance of doubt and contrary to what is apparently being briefed to the press in Sydney, the proposed purchase price does not include the transfer or loan of any players from Chelsea to Manchester United," the club said.
Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho, who is searching for a new striker, this week said he admires Rooney "very, very much" but stopped short of saying he wanted to sign the England forward.
Manchester United boss David Moyes meanwhile has repeatedly stressed that Rooney, who is said to have asked for a transfer in May, is not for sale. "It's hard to keep repeating myself but I will do - Wayne's a Manchester United player and will remain that," Moyes said last week.
Rooney, however, was on Tuesday reported to be "angry and confused" by comments from Moyes that he would be used as back-up to striker Robin van Persie next season.
Second fiddle
Even golfer Rory McIlroy threw his support behind Rooney yesterday, saying the United striker shouldn't be forced to play "second fiddle" to van Persie.
"If I was Wayne I would be very confused, too," McIlroy, a United fan, told a press conference at Muirfield, where the two-time major winner is gearing up for the start of the British Open today.
"He's had nine great seasons at Man United, and reading between the lines of what's being said, I don't think he needs to prove himself to anyone, I don't think he needs to prove himself to the new manager, I don't think he should be playing second fiddle to van Persie, he's been a great player and a very loyal player for Man United."
Elsewhere, Paris Saint-Germain broke the transfer record in the French league on Tuesday by signing Uruguay striker Edinson Cavani to a five-year contract for a reported fee of 64 million euros (US$84 million).
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