Manchester United Transfer News: Latest Wayne Rooney and Alex Grimaldo Rumours

Manchester United captain Wayne Rooney has reportedly been told he must leave the club if he wants to play regular first-team football.

That’s according to Neil Custis of the Sun, who added that manager Jose Mourinho has advised the striker he is free to depart should he wish. After 12 prosperous years at Old Trafford, Rooney has recently been relegated to the fringes of the team following a poor run of form.

Custis added that Rooney’s weekly wages of £250,000-a-week may make clubs think twice about signing him, although the Old Trafford club may be willing to pay off a portion of his salary to make a move happen.

There’s little doubt the England man's career is approaching a critical point. After all, at 31 Rooney will not want to be sat on the bench week after week.

SCOTT HEPPELL/Getty Images

Some would suggest the captain still has a big role to play at Old Trafford, especially given the performances without the skipper haven’t been to a high standard. Indeed, Rooney wasn’t in the squad as United slumped to a humiliating 4-0 defeat against Chelsea in the Premier League on Sunday.

Paul Brown of the Daily Star feels as though the captain has been made something of a scapegoat for the Red Devils’ disappointing beginning to the Premier League season:

While that can often be the case with a high-profile footballer, there’s no doubt Rooney’s form has nosedived over the last couple of years. And given the options Mourinho has in attack, eventually it was a simple decision for the Portuguese to take him out of the firing line.

Off the bench, Rooney has the experience and ability to contribute for the Red Devils. But for a man who’s played constant football in the 15 years since he burst on to the scene as a 16-year-old at Everton, that’s unlikely to sate his appetite for the game.

United Scouting Alex Grimaldo, Goncalo Guedes

Carlos Rodrigues/Getty Images

According to Record (h/t Lucas Sposito of Sport Witness), Manchester United scouted Benfica stars Alex Grimaldo and Goncalo Guedes over the weekend.

In the report it’s noted representatives from the Old Trafford club were in attendance as the Lisbon outfit beat Belenenses on the road. Grimaldo, who has been a menacing presence on the left flank for Benfica early in the campaign, netted for the Portuguese champions on the day in a 2-0 win, while Guedes was awarded man of the match by Record.

It’s stated that both players have long been linked with the Red Devils and each star has a €60 million (£54 million) release clause in his contract.

Grimaldo is in his first full season at Benfica, having joined the club from Barcelona in January. Here’s a look at what the former Blaugrana player has done this season:

Indeed, since arriving the left-back has made a massive impression. Earlier this season, Jan Hagen of Sport Witness hailed the capture, insisting Benfica will make a lot of money on the player:

Left-back is definitely a position the Red Devils could do with another option in. Luke Shaw continues to struggle with injuries and although Mourinho has used Daley Blind and Marcos Rojo in the position, neither are naturals for the role. Grimaldo is, although getting him to Old Trafford would be an expensive exercise.

The same applies for Guedes. The 19-year-old is such a gifted and versatile forward, having already showcased his wonderful talents in the Portuguese top flight and the UEFA Champions League. However, spending the sum aforementioned to trigger a sale would represent a significant gamble for United.