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Wayne Rooney in action for Manchester United against Wigan in the FA Cup last weekend.
Wayne Rooney has been linked with a move to a Chinese Super League club. Photograph: Magi Haroun/Rex/Shutterstock
Wayne Rooney has been linked with a move to a Chinese Super League club. Photograph: Magi Haroun/Rex/Shutterstock

Wayne Rooney will not be allowed to leave Manchester United this season

This article is more than 7 years old
Team’s all-time top scorer had been linked with a move to China
José Mourinho also adamant Ashley Young will remain at Old Trafford

Wayne Rooney will not be allowed to leave Manchester United before the end of the season, with José Mourinho saying he cannot afford to lose any more players following the departures of Morgan Schneiderlin and Memphis Depay from Old Trafford.

Rooney is the subject of interest from clubs in China’s Super League, whose transfer window closes at the end of February. Yet after Schneiderlin was sold to Everton and Depay to Lyon, Mourinho does not want his squad to be further depleted, especially as United are still competing in four competitions.

Asked if the captain will still be at the club at the campaign’s close, Mourinho said: “Yes. We don’t have players in, we don’t have players out, we lost two players from the squad.

“You can say Memphis Depay and Morgan Schneiderlin did not play a lot, but the reality is they played some matches, and when they did, others didn’t, and when they played, others were rested. When Schneiderlin played, it meant Paul Pogba, Michael Carrick or Ander Herrera didn’t.

“You lose players and sometimes it does not look important because they were not first-choice players, but in the end they’re important if someone is going to have a difficult season. I hope that’s us and we’re in the cup competitions.

“We have the Manchester City match postponed [because of the EFL Cup final], we have the Blackburn Rovers match [in the FA Cup] and if we win we will have another match to be postponed. We are in the Europa League with more matches, so our situation is really difficult.”

Mourinho also confirmed Ashley Young will not leave in this transfer window. “He’s definitely staying,” said the manager, who added that Young will be in the squad for Hull City’s visit tonighton Wednesday.

Mourinho is unsure why the top six clubs have not done any major business during January. “I don’t know what to say. I cannot speak for the other teams, their decisions, what they think. In our case, we are more focused on the summer period. I like my players, so nothing for me.”

Regarding his summer plans, Mourinho added: “I know what I want. I always think every week the more I know my players, the more I know my team, the more I know the competition [Premier League], because it’s a competition I know really well. But it’s a competition in permanent evolution.

“I know what I want, the market closes today, so there is no point in me speaking about the next transfer window when we have so many matches to play, so much to fight for, so many good players to work with. If you ask me: ‘Do I know what I want for the next transfer window?’ Yes I know. Is it possible to get? I’ll try, always, to be realistic.”

After Mourinho stated before the FA Cup victory against Wigan Athletic on Sunday that Anthony Martial would have be “magnificent” to retain a starting berth for Hull’s visit, the manager said the player’s display warranted only a place among the substitutes. “He played well enough to be on the bench,” he said.

“To be a regular starter he has to perform better than the others who are competing for the same positions. His position is one where we have lots of options. Do you want me to leave [Henrikh] Mkhitaryan out after being man of the match and playing so well as he did [against Wigan]? I can’t. The players pick themselves. I am just there to analyse what they do and try to be fair with them.

“Such a good performance, Mkhitaryan has to play against Hull. Simple.”

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