Manchester United Transfer News: EPL Champs Can Afford to Lose Wayne Rooney

It's hard to imagine Wayne Rooney being anywhere else than Manchester United after all these years, or United selling him, for that matter.

But, the reality is, United can afford to lose Rooney at this point if it comes to that.

As Jack Pitt-Brooke of the Independent noted on Friday, there is a wealth of interest for Rooney, ranging from Manchester City to Chelsea to Arsenal to Paris Saint-Germain. And while the 27-year-old striker has slowed down a bit, he's still one of the best players in the world. He posted 12 goals and 10 assists in 27 games (22 starts) last season for United.

But if United receives an offer it can't refuse, it should pull the trigger on a deal.

It really comes down to the strength of the club these days. United won the Premier League by 11 points last season. United will still have Robin van Persie and Javier Hernandez next season if the club loses Rooney.

Van Persie was outstanding (as always) in his first campaign for United last season, posting 26 goals and eight assists in 38 games (35 starts). "Chicharito" posted 10 goals and three assists in just 22 games (nine starts). All that would happen if Rooney left is that Hernandez would receive more opportunities to score on the pitch. Not to mention, you would have to think United would add some depth up front with a signing if Rooney departed. 

While Rooney has earned a place in United's heart throughout the years, and his departure would inevitably be a sad moment, he wasn't used as much as he would've liked last season by Sir Alex Ferguson for a reason: He wasn't needed as much.

Obviously, you don't sell a player of Rooney's caliber for nothing, so there would have to be a substantial offer on the table, but if that offer comes, United shouldn't hesitate to use the money for another scoring option or to spread it out throughout the pitch.

The club is in a formidable position right now, which, in reality, makes Rooney expendable.