Chelsea Transfer Rumours: Wayne Rooney Saga Must End Before Season Begins

Just as the summer heat continues and the summer window gets closer to its not-so-far-away end, the Wayne Rooney saga enters what all parties involved hope will be its final chapter.

The embattled Manchester United forward has been in the transfer news for the entire summer, and his relationship with the club that turned him into a superstar has turned sour.

Once the star at Old Trafford, Rooney now plays second fiddle to Robin van Persie; the 2012 signing forced Sir Alex Ferguson to make Rooney play elsewhere to his preferred striker role.

You'll not be surprised to hear Rooney wasn't pleased. With new manager David Moyes in place and Rooney's status with the club as up in the air as ever, that unhappiness has led to some not-so-subtle hints he'd like to go elsewhere.

And, by elsewhere, I mean Chelsea. The Blues have been linked to Rooney throughout the summer, with the two sides interlocked in negotiations. Jack De Menezes of The Independent noted that Chelsea have made two separate bids for the 27-year-old striker, the most recent being a relatively sizable £25 million.

United have rejected both thus far, but the situation is far from over. Rooney has been absent during the club's preseason trips with a mysterious shoulder injury, and Chelsea have begun preparing an increased offer as per Jeremy Wilson of The Telegraph.

Rooney wants to go to Chelsea. The Blues want him. The only problem is that Manchester United may hold out past the winning point for Jose Mourinho's club. The Premier League starts in less than two weeks, with Chelsea opening their schedule against Hull City. 

If the club truly want to compete for a championship, though, they'll end this saga before the season starts. Whether that's with Rooney or without, it doesn't matter. Mourinho cannot afford a distraction on this level hanging over his players' heads, one that would fundamentally shift the dynamic of the club. 

Chelsea pushing for a Rooney transfer this summer is a no-brainer. At 27 (he'll be 28 in October), the English striker still has plenty of prime soccer left in him. He's one of the most decorated players of the last decade, and his name is synonymous with the Red Devils.

Landing someone of Rooney's ilk not only makes Chelsea a better club, but more marketable across the world. His new shirt could fetch enough to offset his fee. If you're looking to become internationally beloved on the scale of Manchester United, it begins with perhaps stealing their franchise face.

What's more, adding a player of Rooney's caliber would fulfill a promise the board made to Mourinho when he returned to Stamford Bridge. There were rumors when Roman Abramovich was courting the Portuguese manager back to his old stomping ground that he'd be given an unprecedented kitty of £100 million this summer.

That always seemed a bit silly—Chelsea are rich but not that rich—but the expectation was the Blues would still probably spend as much as anyone outside Manchester City.

The result—at least without Rooney—has been a bit underwhelming. Forward Andre Schurrle represents the club's most notable signing of the summer, one that's not small in price—he cost £18 million—but representative of an average summer rather than one with major expectations.

Young midfielder Marco van Ginkel might also develop into a really good player, but he's not at a level where you can expect him to make a notable impact. Van Ginkel, just 20 years old, joined Chelsea after spending his youth at Vitesse, a solid outfit in Eredivisie. He did get some valuable experience against Real in the friendly, and seemed to hold his own.

That said, neither Schurrle nor van Ginkel scream "next step." Rooney is the golden goose of this summer, proof that Mourinho and Chelsea are aiming to challenge both Manchester clubs with everything they have this season. It's proof that west London is back and is planning to stay. 

Rooney would make the Blues one of the favorites in this year's Premier League, and make them an underlying contender to make noise in Champions League.

These are the same reasons that Manchester United haven't been too keen on Rooney staying within the Premier League in the first place. It's the same reason Moyes is holding out hope that he will have a change of heart, and would likely hold out until Sept. 2 to make a decision.

By the close of the transfer window, Chelsea will have played three Premier League matches and the UEFA Super Cup versus Bayern Munich. While ultimately a small sample, those matches count just as much as the ones in April and will be critical to setting a tone for this season.

Manchester City have already made their major splashes for the summer, restocking a roster that will test anyone in the world. United have an issue in midfield they need to work out, but will compete for a repeat provided they address that.

But guess what? Even without Rooney, Chelsea are pretty damn good. Bovada places the Blues at 9-4 odds to take the table this season, behind only Man City (2-1). They are considered to have a better chance of winning than United (5-2) and blow stalwarts Arsenal (9-1) and Liverpool (28-1) out of the water.

Chelsea is a roster that comes back vastly improved from a third-place finish last season, with a massive upgrade in the coach's box. The club have made their intention of competing for nothing less than a championship in holding off Barcelona's quest for David Luiz, per Tom Bryant of The Guardian. 

Mourinho knows he can compete for a title with or without Rooney, which is why you don't hear Chelsea linked to any other notable names.

It's Rooney or bust. With him, they're definitive Premier League favorites. Without him, they're among preseason favorites. 

Here's hoping the Blues don't bust their season holding out for a player who may never arrive. 

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