Rooney goal vs West Brom 2-0

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Chelsea six transfer targets in Janaury

Rooney heads six-man Chelsea shortlist


Jose Mourinho has six transfer targets currently on his list ahead of the January transfer window. Wayne Rooney, Radamel Falcao, Jackson Martinez and Nemanja Matic are all options, as well as Inter duo Guarin and Ranocchia.

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Rooney rejects new Manchester United contract talks

Wayne Rooney has rejected Manchester United's latest attempts to open talks over a new contract.

The striker and his representatives are refusing to even discuss an extension, with the England international's existing terms set to expire at the end of next season.

We revealed in October that Rooney had rejected United's first approach to discuss a contract renewal as he continues to explore the possibility of leaving the club.

The 28-year-old and his camp have declined further offers from the club in recent weeks to start negotiating, with United willl to give him a four-year deal.

Rooney has begun the season in outstanding form, scoring eight goals in 13 Premier League appearances for the side during a difficult start for new boss David Moyes that has left the reigning champions ninth in the table.

Publicly, Moyes insisted last week that a new deal for the England international "will be done in good course" but Rooney is understood to remain keen to seek a fresh challenge at another Champions League club.

"Wayne is resisting any and all attempts from the club to talk about his contract situation," a source told We.

"He knows, more than anything, that with his contract running down and in the form that he is in, he holds all the aces."

Rooney and his agent, Paul Stretford, are well aware that they are in a strong position to engineer a transfer in the summer, when the player will have just one year remaining on his contract.

Indeed, sources close to the situation have told us that Rooney is increasingly aware of the renewed interest in him from leading clubs both abroad and domestically.

Chelsea made two bids for Rooney in the summer after being told that the former Everton man wanted to move to Stamford Bridge and there was also strong interest from Arsenal up until the final week of the window.

United refused to sell Rooney to Chelsea, a club whom they regard as a principal title rival but the league champions could be backed into a corner if the forward pushes hard for a transfer either in January or next summer while refusing to extend his weekly salaray of £250,000 (€300,000).

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Santon : Rooney absence will help Newcastle

Davide Santon believes that Newcastle United could thrive against a Manchester United side who are without Wayne Rooney.

The Magpies enjoyed a stellar November, which saw them record four wins out of four - including victories over Chelsea and Tottenham - but they were brought crashing down to earth by a 3-0 defeat at Swansea on Wednesday.

The 22-year-old thinks that the absence of Rooney could be a god send for Alan Pardew's men and suggested that avoiding relegation remains their main concern, rather than finishing above the Red Devils.

"The one thing we have to do is we have to try to get 40 points as soon as possible as we have to make sure we are safe," he told to the reporters.

"I think we are in good shape at the moment, we have 23 points, but we have to keep going. Even if against Manchester United we get a bad result then we don't have to put ourselves down.

"Man Utd are still a big, big team. At the moment we're on top of them but just by one point - it will be a massive game because if we win the game we go four points above them.

"Fortunately [Wayne] Rooney's suspended, so that's good for us. [Robin] Van Persie at the moment is not having the greatest season like last season, but I think that he's always a dangerous striker - when he has the chance he will score."

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Ozil: Arsenal have nothing to prove to Rooney

Arsenal playmaker Mesut Ozil is adamant that the Gunners have nothing to prove to Wayne Rooney or anyone else ahead of their crunch clash with Manchester United on Sunday.

The England striker suggested on Wednesday that Arsene Wenger's side might struggle to maintain a title challenge towards the latter part of the season and that he was confident of getting a positive result against the current Premier League leaders.

Ozil, however, has hit back at Rooney's comments and insisted that his side travel to Manchester with no fear as they look for a win that would move them 11 points clear of David Moyes's side at the top of the table.

"We are going to Old Trafford to have fun and that is why we are going to win," he told The Sun.

"I don't think we have to prove anything to Wayne or anyone else. We know the quality we have and we want to be successful playing our own way.

"The plan is not to go to United and settle for a draw. If we are going to achieve the target of our coach, then we go to win."

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Moyes : Rooney & Van Persie the best stikers in world

Manchester United manager David Moyes believes Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie are the best strike partnership in the world.

The England international and the Dutchman have scored 14 goals between them this season, although United sit eight points behind Premier League leaders Arsenal after nine games.

But Moyes believes the pair are still to reach their peak this season and claims that when they do, the partnership will be unrivalled in the Premier League.

Wayne and Robin, on their day, will be a match for any player anywhere in the world, never mind just in this country,” the Scot told reporters.

“So I think when those two are firing, then they are the best, I really do. I see that. I think they’re both incredibly talented, both natural goalscorers.

“As footballers they both can probably play in several different positions because of their ability. So I’m looking forward to those two firing.

“And when we hit a real run those two will be something to rival, they really will.”

Moyes also claims Rooney possesses the attributes of a captain but admits he is unlikely to be given the United armband ahead of Nemanja Vidic.

“Wayne has certainly always had the ability to be a captain,” Moyes said.

“He’s got a love of football which is the biggest thing. He loves the game, he loves the ball and kicking around, it’s natural to him.

“If you’ve got that then you’ve got leadership. And in his own way he leads by example in what he tries to do. I think he could be a future skipper here.

“But I’ve not got any reason to change. I’m happy. Vida, Patrice Evra, Rio Ferdinand – all of the really experienced boys are great behind the scenes and captains in their own right.

“Vida wears the armband, but I use them all for their guidance and experience.”

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Arsenal to bid for Rooney in Janaury

Arsenal have been encouraged to bid for Wayne Rooney in January.

The Premier League leaders have been told via informal conversations that the striker still wants to leave Manchester United despite describing himself this week as "happy" and "settled" at the club.

Intriguingly, Rooney has already begun exploring the possibility of a sensational transfer in January, by which time there will be only 18 months remaining on his £250,000-a-week contract.

Chelsea led the race to sign Rooney in the summer, making two £20 million-plus bids, after being told that the 27-year-old wanted to move to Stamford Bridge, but there was also strong interest from Arsenal up until the final week of the window.

United refused to sell Rooney to Chelsea, a club they regard as a principal title rival, but the league champions could be hemmed into a corner if the player pushes hard for a transfer either in January or next summer while refusing to extend his current deal.

Arsenal’s priority is to sign a blue-chip striker after failing to capture one in the summer but sources have said that Arsene Wenger has not yet drawn up a list of definitive forward targets.

It is not known if Wenger will sanction a concerted January move for Rooney, or if United would sell to Arsenal, but the Gunners boss is a huge admirer of the Englishman, who has begun the season in outstanding form.

Ivan Gazidis claimed in June that Arsenal have the funds to afford the fee and wage package required to entice Rooney, and, crucially, there is around £80m available for the manager to spend in the next two windows despite the club-record £40m signing of Mesut Ozil deadline day.

Rooney is believed to be keen to seek a fresh challenge at an established Champions League club, where his status as the team’s principal centre-forward would be unquestioned.

His disillusionment at occasionally being played out of position by Sir Alex Ferguson last season has also only partly been rectified by being consistently handed the No.10 role under new manager David Moyes.

Speaking on Wednesday, ahead of his role in England’s World Cup qualifying win against Montenegro at Wembley on Friday night, Rooney offered only a flicker of encouragement to United that he would sign a new deal.

Asked directly on Wednesday if he would like to stay at United, Rooney said: "You can see I'm playing and I'm happy in my football. I'll have more discussions with the club and we'll see what happens from there."

Privately, Rooney has provided no assurances to his employers and there is a sense among senior United officials that the forward’s agent Paul Stretford will use the uncertainty as leverage to engineer a transfer.

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Torres : Me and Rooney upfront would be great

Chelsea striker Fernando Torres has expressed his admiration of Wayne Rooney, admitting that he would love to play alongside the Manchester United ace.

Blues boss Jose Mourinho had made the England international his primary transfer target but the proposed deal appears to have collapsed, with the Manchester United man having declined the Portuguese's public invite to issue a transfer request and the West Londoners now having snapped up Samuel Eto'o.

However, Torres is still hoping that Rooney ends up at Stamford Bridge as he feels that the pair could form a prolific partnership.

"Chelsea always want the best players and Rooney is one of them. I admire him and it would be great to play alongside him."

Meanwhile Chelsea will play vs Bayern tonight for the UEFA SUPER CUP.

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