The Premier League champions have rejected an opening bid from the Blues for the striker** and insist he is not for sale, with the two clubs at odds over whether players were involved in the bid.**

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has insisted Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney is the club's only transfer target this summer.

Jose Mourinho**:**

"I think that this situation is clear - nothing is a secret anymore," he told reporters.

"The official bid is just about a certain amount of money and doesn't involve players.

"We want the player. We made the bid and now we have nothing more to say.

"Now its up to Manchester United."

The Chelsea boss was then asked if the club had made other bids, to which Mourinho replied: "No, and we won't."He was then asked whether it is now "Rooney or bust", replying: "yes."

Rooney's future at Old Trafford has been up in the air since Sir Alex Ferguson revealed he had asked to leave the club, while Mourinho had previously implored the wantaway striker to "do what makes him happy".

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has insisted that the Gunners can afford Wayne Rooney's wages.

After the Red Devils signed Robin van Persie from the Gunners last summer, Wenger has stated that he has the cash to take Rooney in the other direction should be leave Old Trafford this summer.

A**rsene Wenger:**

"It happened to us last year and it can happen to them," he told reporter's following Wednesday's 7-1 win over Vietnam.

"Rooney is under contract and has two years to go so its United who make the decision. But we would not have a problem with the wages of Rooney."

Moyes is now the main reason for Rooney anger and i think so that his comment about Rooney as 2nd choice striker become the main reason for Rooney Departure if it happens

@Alex: Now that I think about it, I agree with you. I could see Rooney joining and trying to prove he is not second fiddle, causing him to be motivated. And we all know a motivated Rooney is a world-class Rooney.

Incidentally, how come this was never FIFA Goal of the Year?

EXCLUSIVE: Chelsea bid rejected as Wayne Rooney prepares to hand in transfer request

WAYNE ROONEY has dropped a transfer bombshell by telling manager David Moyes that he wants to quit Manchester United.

And he will follow up his verbal demand by submitting a formal written request this week, prompting an improved £30million offer from Chelsea.

Moyes hoped to persuade Rooney to stay at Old Trafford but, it is understood from club sources, the England striker has told him in face-to-face talks since he returned from their Far East tour last week that he is disillusioned with life at the club after nine seasons and wants a fresh challenge.

Rooney, 28 in October, has ruled out a move abroad and is keen to join Jose Mourinho's Chelsea, who have been waiting in the wings for him to tell United he wants to leave before tabling an increased bid after their first £20m offer was rejected last month.

United remain adamant they will not sell such a key player to one of their Premier League title rivals but Rooney's decision to put his transfer request in writing this week will change the dynamic of a saga that has been simmering for months.

Rooney has assured Moyes he will continue to do his best for the club, but the fact he has admitted his head and heart are no longer with United gives the new manager a major headache with the new season less than a fortnight away.

Moyes cannot sanction a sale and weaken his squad before he strengthens it and, as yet, his efforts to bring in Cesc Fabregas and Leighton Baines have not borne fruit.

Rooney, it is understood, does not have a problem with Moyes but feels his position at the club has been undermined by Sir Alex Ferguson over the past 18 months.

Rooney feels Ferguson forced the issue when he broke his trust by making public details of a private conversation they had in April. Now even if United belatedly make a public acknowledgement that Rooney did not ask for a move at the time, as Ferguson claimed after his final home game in charge in May, it will not change his desire to move on.

The fact Ferguson, who personally recommended Moyes as his replacement, will continue to exert a huge influence at the club both as a football director and ambassador has hardened Rooney's resolve to leave.

Comments from the club's chief executive Ed Woodward that United will not engage in new contract talks and are prepared to let his current deal run down have served only to increase Rooney's disillusionment.

The England striker feels too much damage has been done and a fresh start is the best way forward. He played 45 minutes of a behind-closed-doors friendly against Real Betis on Saturday at the club's Carrington training ground and, according to insiders, looked fit and sharp in the 3-0 win having returned home early from the pre-season tour with a hamstring injury.

Despite telling Moyes he wants to leave, Rooney will still be included in United's squad when they travel to Sweden today and is expected to make his first public pre-season appearance against AIK Stockholm tomorrow. Rooney knows he is likely to face a backlash from United fans when he makes his first Old Trafford appearance of the new season in Rio Ferdinand's testimonial game against Sevilla on Friday evening, but he will view it as added justification that his time at the club has come to an end.

Moyes, meanwhile, has been given fresh hope in his pursuit of Fabregas after comments from Barcelona's new manager Gerardo Martino that a move back to the Premier League is up to the former Arsenal midfielder.

Martino said: "I would prefer him to stay with us and I dare say he will, but it's his decision. "If it was my decision, there wouldn't be any chance of Cesc leaving."

That appears to be a softening in the defiant "not-for-sale" stance Barcelona's hierarchy have adopted since United's initial £26m bid was revealed.

Source: Express UK

On that note, as I remember, how was Cisse's 2nd (I think) goal against Chelsea not even nominated for fifa goal of the year?

Both Rooney's & Cisse's goals were stunning and should have been nominated for Fifa goal of the year. :)

I think he should just go to Chelsea...

Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho claims "there is no time limit" for the club's pursuit of Manchester United's Wayne Rooney. (skySports)

Rooney "confident of Chelsea move"

Wayne Rooney has told his Manchester United team-mates he will be joining Chelsea.

Jose Mourinho has already had two bids rejected but a source close to United told ESPN that Rooney is convinced he will be headed to Stamford Bridge and has said as much to his colleagues at Old Trafford.

Several of the United squad are reportedly unhappy with Rooney, who has ignored their appeals to extend his nine-year stay at the club, and their relationship has not improved with Rooney increasingly confident he will go.

United have insisted Rooney, 27, is not for sale but Chelsea haven't abandoned their pursuit.

Sir Alex Ferguson said Rooney asked to leave United before the end of last season and while David Moyes has said he is keen to keep him, he remains unsettled.
Rooney has not appeared for United in their pre-season programme - apart from a behind-closed-doors friendly against Real Betis - because of hamstring and shoulder injuries.

He missed Rio Ferdinand's testimonial, the 3-1 defeat to Sevilla, but trained with the reserves on both Thursday and Friday.

Rooney could be fit enough to face Wigan in Sunday's Community Shield at Wembley but it remains to be seen if Moyes will pick him.

He has been included in Roy Hodgson's England squad for Wednesday's friendly against Scotland.
Source: ESPN

I think he should leave United cuz he is very unhappy.. Keeping a unhappy player in the squad is like having a gun with no bullets..

Chelsea line up final £40m Rooney bid

Chelsea are reportedly preparing to launch a final bid of £40 million for Wayne Rooney within the next two days.

Jose Mourinho has made it clear that he sees Rooney as the last piece of his Chelsea puzzle, and wants him as his No. 9. Owner Roman Abramovich is prepared to offer Rooney a four-year deal with wages of £300,000 a week.

However David Moyes remains adamant he will not sell Rooney, who provided two assists in United's 4-1 win at Swansea after coming on for Ryan Giggs in the 62nd minute.

And if Chelsea cannot change United's stance, they are set to switch their attentions from Rooney to Robert Lewandowski, the Borussia Dortmund striker.

Lewandowski has one year remaining on his contract at Dortmund, who blocked the striker's attempts to emulate Mario Gotze in leaving this summer for Bayern Munich.

However Chelsea are hopeful of securing their first-choice target. The club believe the bumper fee will convince United owners the Glazer family that it is in their best interests to sell Rooney.

The Glazers would be unlikely to command such a high fee for Rooney after the transfer window closes as he has just two years left on his contract.

Mourinho is believed to be desperate to land Rooney, however Chelsea think Dortmund would definitely sell Lewandowski at the same price - and would much prefer to see him leave for England than to join rivals Bayern, who defeated them in last season's Champions League final, for free next summer. Lewandowski would have to be persuaded to leave Germany, though.

Samuel Eto'o, who won the treble under Mourinho at Inter in 2010, is also being considered by Chelsea as a short-term solution up top.

Source: ESPN UK