Manchester United Transfer News: Mega Wayne Rooney China Rumours Emerge

Manchester United captain Wayne Rooney has reportedly been approached to become "the face of Chinese football" as one of Asia's rising markets attempts to lure the England hitman away from the Premier League.

Rooney is in his 14th campaign in the English top flight, and the Sun's Phil Thomas reports the rich Chinese Super League has his name at the top of a list aimed to attract more world-class talent.

Alberto Saiz/Associated Press

A new television rights deal is said to have injected £830 million of investments in China's top tier, and the nation's government is also eager to see more elite talents help advertise their division.

The rumours have emerged just as 30-year-old Rooney has begun to show arguably his worst scoring slump in front of goal this season. Bet365 compared his concerning form alongside that of fellow England strikers Harry Kane and Jamie Vardy:

Rooney still has three-and-a-half years remaining on his Old Trafford contract, however, and it's not like his current wages leave him short of a penny. Per BBC Sport's Gary Rose, he is estimated to earn £300,000 a week.

The Chinese Super League has succeeded in attracting some of the world's top talents in recent years, albeit with most joining toward the latter end of their careers or as a retirement venture.

Former Chelsea strikers Didier Drogba and Nicolas Anelka both featured for Chinese outfits in recent years, while Demba Ba and Asamoah Gyan currently play in the Super League, as does ex-Manchester City star Robinho.

According to Bleacher Report's Dean Jones, Rooney has recently grown concerned over his chances of a starting spot at Old Trafford, with summer signing Anthony Martial a particular threat to the central attacking role:

But Manchester United are by no means desperate to sell one of their poster boys, and it would take a huge transfer push from any Chinese outfit to actually clinch a deal. However, after beating Watford 2-1 on Saturday in the forward's absence, the club may be able to cope without the player, according to ESPN's Alex Shaw:

After emerging as a 16-year-old at Everton, there is the notion that Rooney simply peaked early in his career. The utility attacker last managed to hit 20 goals in a season all the way back in 2011-12.

The Far East does seem a less likely end-of-career venture for one such as Rooney, though, who may prefer to follow the likes of former England team-mates Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard to Major League Soccer.

Matt Dunham/Associated Press

Having recently surpassed Sir Bobby Charlton to become England's all-time leading goalscorer, Rooney may think twice about putting his international duty in danger, which may be the case if he moved to the other side of the globe.

Money tends to talk in football, however, and should Rooney's downward spiral at Manchester United continue, China's spending superpowers may grow more confident of cutting a deal for the ageing Red Devil.