Chelsea are favourites to beat Arsenal to the signing of Manchester United forward Wayne Rooney.
Chelsea are readying a remarkable transfer raid on Manchester United, with England international forward Wayne Rooney the target according to the Daily Mirror.
Although Fernando Torres has scored twenty goals this season – or twenty-two if generous enough to include the FA Community Shield in that tally, it is clear that the club’s biggest weakness is up front.
Demba Ba, the January signing from Newcastle United, has not proved a consistent goalscorer for the Blues either, and it is little wonder that the likes of Atletico Madrid striker Radamel Falcao and Edinson Cavani of Napoli have been linked with moves to West London.
However, with club owner Roman Abramovich having spent an incredible £50 million on the Torres deal in January 2011, he may be wary of the incredible costs of buying either Falcao or Cavani.
Wayne Rooney has handed in a transfer request at Manchester United, and that fact makes it hard to see Rooney costing as much as the £53m required for Cavani’s buyout clause – unless of course incoming Old Trafford boss David Moyes is able to convince his former charge at Everton to stay.
Regardless, the Mirror claim that Abramovich has requested that Manchester United name their price for Rooney, in the hope of blowing interest from Arsenal out of the water.
Chelsea would certainly be able to offer him the place up front he desires, having been superseded by Robin Van Persie at his current club.
In an injury interrupted campaign in which he has often been deployed in midfield, Rooney has still managed 13 goals and 13 assists in 27 starts.
Whilst not a total that can rival that of Torres, when Rooney has played up front for Manchester United he has delivered goals, with 34 goals in 44 appearances in both 2009-10 and 2011-12.
Chelsea would be hopeful of a similar return were they to bring him to Stamford Bridge.
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