Manchester United have rejected an improved bid from Chelsea for Wayne Rooney.
A fee is £25m plus addons is believed to have been lodged following an initial bid of around £20m but United have rejected it stating that Rooney is not for sale.
The England forward was left out of United’s latest pre-season friendly in Stockholm with a shoulder injury sustained during a match against Real Betis behind closed doors on Saturday. He has not played for United since a substitute appearance during a 1-0 defeat by Chelsea on May 5.
Rooney, 27, has been unsettled following his treatment towards the end of last season by former United manager Sir Alex Ferguson and by the suggestion that Robin Van Persie would be new United manager David Moyes’ first choice striker at the club.
After a succession of friendly overtures in public by Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho, it’s believed that Rooney might lodge an official transfer request before the end of the week to force a move away from Old Trafford.
- United’s own top transfer target, Cesc Fabregas, might be the subject of a third bid by David Moyes as they seek to strengthen the vital midfield area which lacked quality at times last season.