Manchester United Rumours: Wayne Rooney Will Not Hand in Transfer Request

Chelsea look set to be frustrated in their summer-long pursuit of Manchester United forward Wayne Rooney after Sky Sports claimed he will not hand in a transfer request.

Jose Mourinho earmarked Rooney as his "only" transfer target earlier in the summer, after Sir Alex Ferguson had revealed in May that the England man wanted to leave Old Trafford.

However, new United boss David Moyes has stood firm against Chelsea's advances, and now it seems Rooney will not force his hand.

After the two sides drew 0-0 on Monday night, Mourinho gave the forward 48 hours to "finish the story" by declaring his wish either to stay at or leave Old Trafford, as reported by the BBC. It now seems Rooney's silence will end the saga.

Chelsea have been extremely careful all summer to avoid the accusation of unsettling Rooney, fearing the legal ramifications of what was always going to be a provocative transaction between two rival clubs.

Instead, Mourinho wanted Rooney to engineer his own exit by handing in an official transfer request, which would have severely weakened United’s resolve against Chelsea’s approaches.

Twice the Blues have penned bids for the player, only to see them rejected. It was expected that they would return with a third offer of over £30 million this week, after Mourinho had said he would get Monday’s game out of the way before focusing on transfer dealings.

However, it would have been impossible for Rooney to ignore how integral he remains to the United setup during the 0-0 draw, during which the home fans continuously roared his name.

The one thing Rooney wants is to be counted on in the big games, if his performances warrant a place in the side. That was not always the case under Ferguson last season.

It's one thing for Moyes to start the under-scrutiny talisman. But that he also kept him on despite pregame warnings—“I might only play you for 60 or 70 minutes,” per the Mirror—will have shown Rooney he is once again a key asset to his manager.

Robin van Persie is still the main man when it comes to goals, netting two in the Community Shield win over Wigan and another double against Swansea, but Rooney can operate either as the No. 10 or as a deeper playmaker.

That versatility is why Mourinho would love to add him to his "mobile" Chelsea attack, but it seems the Blues are set to be disappointed come the September 2 deadline.