Manchester United Transfer News: Red Devils Must Move on from Wayne Rooney

Striker Wayne Rooney has been a fan favorite with Manchester United since the 2004-05 season, but the time has come for both sides to part ways and move on to greener pastures.

According to Jamie Jackson of The Guardian, Rooney and new Red Devils manager David Moyes are set to meet this week. Rooney is hoping to have an extension added to the final two years of his contract, and Moyes reportedly intends to keep Rooney at Old Trafford as well.

While it's understandable why Rooney and Moyes may feel that way, a change of scenery would make a lot more sense. Rooney had a tough season with Manchester United as he scored just 16 goals after netting a career-high 34 goals one year earlier. With younger players like Chicharito and Danny Welbeck making strides and a world-class striker like Robin van Persie already in place, the writing is seemingly on the wall.

Rooney's role is diminishing slowly but surely, and there are no signs that he'll be utilized more effectively moving forward. Manchester United is the world's premier club, so Rooney may feel as though going elsewhere would be a step down, but there will be plenty of great opportunities on other teams.

According to Sky Sports Football, Arsenal is a team that could possibly be in the running for Rooney.

There are differing opinions with regard to whether or not it would be a good fit, but The Gunners' forwards aren't quite as established as Rooney. Bringing in the likes of Olivier Giroud and Theo Walcott off the bench late in matches and having Rooney start would ensure that Arsenal has a fresh attack throughout. Rooney could also play alongside Lukas Podolski, which would make for an exciting combination.

According to Live Football, squads such as Chelsea, Real Madrid and Barcelona are all in the mix as well.

All of those teams will vie for a league title next season and all of them are constant threats to win the Champions League too, so Rooney should really keep an open mind. Even though Manchester United and a legion of its fans may feel as though Rooney is yesterday's news, there are other great teams out there that would be happy to have him.

It isn't as if Rooney is a washed-up scrub either. Soccer is typically a young man's game, especially at the striker position, but Rooney is only 27 years of age. He should have plenty left in the tank, and he could be revitalized by a change of some kind as he seemed to grow stagnant last season.

Wanting to stay could simply be a matter of attachment for Rooney since he has enjoyed nine seasons at Old Trafford, but soccer is a sport that lends itself to change. It's incredibly rare for a player to spend his entire career with one team, and while Rooney did play two years at Everton, he has pretty much been a Red Devil for life.

Playing elsewhere for the remainder of his career won't change that either. Fans will always remember that he had his greatest seasons with Manchester United, and there is no doubt that he will be welcomed back to Old Trafford whenever his career comes to a close. Rooney has to worry about his long-term viability right now, though, and a transfer is in his best interest.

The same can be said for Manchester United, as there is no point in stringing Rooney along. Even if Moyes intends to use Rooney better than Sir Alex Ferguson did last season, there is too much of a logjam right now. Rather than carrying on the charade, the Manchester United brass should push for a clean break.

It may be awkward for both parties to go in separate directions since they have become synonymous with each other, but it will be the smartest move in the long run.

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