Pros and Cons of Wayne Rooney Playing at Stamford Bridge

In his opening press conference upon returning to Stamford Bridge after a six-year absence, Jose Mourinho was asked how he would like to be addressed after his famous "Special One" proclamation nine years ago.

He simply replied: "I'm the Happy One. I'm very happy because it is the first time that I arrive in a club where I already love the club," per The Telegraph.

It finally seems that after years trying to regain the happiness he had during his three-year stint at Chelsea, Jose Mourinho has fulfilled his ambition to be happy.

The Portuguese tactician revealed that he is content with his current playing staff and that none of his players will leave, per Sky Sports.

The strong message conveyed seems to include David Luiz, who has been linked with a move to Bayern Munich, and Fernando Torres, who according to The Independent, is reportedly wanted by Valencia to replace Roberto Soldado.

But what Mourinho refused to rule out is further additions to his squad. With several young players set to move out on loan such as Josh McEachran and Lucas Piazon, it seems like the 50-year-old coach is making some room for another couple of players to come in.

It's well-documented that Chelsea need a new striker, with only three attackers among the ranks at the West London club in Torres, Romelu Lukaku and Demba Ba. Another defensive midfielder is also on the shopping list with Sami Khedira as the latest to be linked, per The Mirror.

So how about signing a player so talented that he could be deployed as a central midfielder, winger or in his most dangerous role as a centre-forward?

Wayne Rooney is supposedly unhappy with his situation at Manchester United after being refused the right to leave Old Trafford under Sir Alex Ferguson. Despite new manager David Moyes dismissing reports that Rooney could depart, the England international's mind is supposedly made up, per BBC Sport.

If you were to talk about the 20 top players in the world, Rooney would certainly make the cut. That being said, a couple of years ago, he would have also made it into the top 10.

While his pace tends to fluctuate depending on his fitness, his quality must not be taken for granted. He uses his intelligence on the field, he picks up passes not many others see and he makes superb runs into the channels.

The ability to create a magic moment is a rarity in football. The likes of Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Thierry Henry all have shown their tendency to produce a match-winning goal time and time again. Rooney is no stranger to this attribute. His overhead kick against Manchester City was perhaps the best indication that he does indeed possess it.

There's no disputing Rooney's loyalty; after all, he did spend nine years of his career with the club, and seemingly ignored the advances of Real Madrid and Barcelona in the past, per The Daily Mail. 

But now could be the time for him to pursue a new challenge, although his next move must be chosen carefully. At Chelsea, he could experience a similar amount of success as he has at Manchester United, where he has won a total of 12 trophies as he enters his 10th year at the club.

He must be wary, however, of the backlash he would receive from the fans should he decide to join the West London club. Granted, the supporters would perhaps be less forgiving if he crossed to the blue side of the city and signed for Manchester City, but Chelsea have been their closest rivals for the past 10 years.

Equally, the deal to sign him would eventually amount to around £40 million, according to The Independent. With that in mind, the 27-year-old may consider the scale of the move which, if completed at the amount quoted above, would be the second-highest in British transfer history. 

The £50 million man Fernando Torres could tell Rooney about the pressures of carrying such a hefty price tag on his shoulders. That being said, Rooney had to deal with high expectations when Manchester United forked out £27 million for his services in 2004 when he was a teenager.

From Mourinho's point of view, the main drawback of signing the England star would be where to fit him in the team. Undoubtedly, spending a large chunk of the transfer budget on one player almost guarantees him a place in the starting XI, but would it be as a striker or another role?

If he were to play almost as a false nine, Fernando Torres, Demba Ba or Romelu Lukaku will almost certainly have to leave. Of course, there is the possibility of the latter going out on loan, but his preseason form suggests the Blues need to keep him around.

The question that has gone unanswered is why Chelsea would want to sign Rooney, given his supposed lack of loyalty, struggle for form and several fall-outs with his manager. Of course, he holds a certain match-changing ability about him, but his general persona does not seem to fit what Chelsea are trying to achieve in the transfer market.

Rather than splashing out huge sums of money on aging stars, the club's recent policy has seen the likes of Andre Schurrle and Marco van Ginkel join the club this summer. Both men are under the age of 23 and are full internationals.

As well as signing stars such as Eden Hazard and Kevin De Bruyne, it's worth questioning why the Blues want to recruit a player who would essentially quash what they are trying to build. Their young striker Lukaku looks to be improving by the day. Mourinho runs the risk of unsettling the 20-year-old if Rooney were to arrive.

Nevertheless, there is nothing better than weakening a rival, and most managers will do anything in their power to undermine the opposition. Mourinho is no exception, and taking a player of Rooney's pedigree away from David Moyes, like Sir Alex Ferguson did with Robin van Persie, could be a moment that decides the title.

After all, one can underestimate Rooney's influence at their own peril. Since joining Manchester United, he has scored 141 goals in 278 Premier League appearances, good for one strike for every two games. 

And crucially, he has scored at least 11 Premier League goals in each of his nine seasons at Old Trafford, as well as creating dozens more for his teammates.

On paper, Rooney appears to be a crucial part of Manchester United's success, and with the striker turning 28 this year, he is fast approaching his prime years of his career. With that in mind, the Red Devils must consider whether now is the right time to cash in.

As mentioned, Rooney is 28 in October, and at his current level of fitness, estimations would say he has another five or six years at the top left in him. To receive a fee of around £40 million would allow David Moyes to sign one or two of his own targets, and to sell any player for that sort of money is all the more tempting.

With Chelsea readying a third bid according to The Telegraph, Moyes now faces the difficult decision on whether to keep Rooney, which could jeopardize the harmony at the club. He could sell, but is there a player on the market who could replace Rooney?

If there was, there isn't now.