Manchester United Transfer News: Wayne Rooney Rejected China Move, Fresh Rumours

Manchester United captain Wayne Rooney turned down a move to the Chinese Super League in the summer, according to Beijing Guoan honorary chairman Luo Ning.  

Per Goal's Alex Young, he told a Beijing sports radio show:

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We indeed made an approach for Rooney at the beginning of the season but he's informed us that he wants to stay in Manchester United.

Rooney says he'll keep playing in the Premier League as long as his health allows. We even met with his agent [Paul Stratford].

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The England international lost his place in the Red Devils' starting lineup this season after a sustained period of poor form stretching back to Louis van Gaal's reign in charge.

After netting a superb goal against Fenerbahce on Thursday—in an admittedly otherwise ineffective outing—Rooney was restored to the team for United's trip to Swansea City on Sunday, and he marked the occasion with two assists.

As the Premier League revealed, Rooney—who is second on the all-time leading goalscorers' list in the division—is closing in on the same position for assists:

The Daily Mail's Mike Keegan and football writer Liam Canning praised his improved performance:

At 31, it's understandable Rooney is not yet ready to give up on his Premier League career, and Sunday's effort showed he is still capable of putting in a good shift.

However, to continue justifying his presence in United's side—and his "in excess of £300,000 a week" contract, on which he has three-and-a-half years remaining, per Young—he needs to get back to producing that kind of showing week in, week out.

They've become exceedingly rare of late, and he has to be able to produce it against better sides than the Swans, who came into the game in dreadful form and remain firmly in the relegation zone.

Meanwhile, according to Italian outlet Calcio Mercato Web (h/t Jamie Styles of the Daily Star), AC Milan are considering a loan move for Morgan Schneiderlin in January as they look to replace the injured Riccardo Montolivo.

STR/Associated Press

The Frenchman has played for just 233 minutes this season and was withdrawn at half-time against Fenerbahce on Thursday after making a rare start, prompting ESPN's Alex Shaw to speculate on his future:

The 27-year-old has perhaps not yet shown the form that earned him his move to Old Trafford but is a much more mobile and capable operator in midfield than Marouane Fellaini, and with 35-year-old Michael Carrick's age restricting his ability to appear in every game, he should be given more minutes than he's received.

Red Devils boss Jose Mourinho does not appear to be convinced, though, so it would hardly be surprising if he were to be moved on in January.