Manchester United Transfer News: Wayne Rooney Discussed by Tianjin Amid Rumours

Chinese Super League club Tianjin Quanjian made an approach for Manchester United captain Wayne Rooney but decided that he did not fit their style, according to manager Fabio Cannavaro. 

The former Italy defender revealed his club were more interested in Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang than Rooney, 31, and they are still trying to snap up Fiorentina's Nikola Kalinic, per Tianjin TV (h/t the Mirror's Alex Richards):

"

We did make an approach for Rooney, but it was just a chat because he simply doesn’t suit our style of play. No further discussion was necessary.

The truth is we had more frequent contact with Aubameyang. Unfortunately, our bid was rejected by Borussia Dortmund who said he was needed in this season's Champions League. 

Our prime target is still Kalinic, but it's quite difficult for his club to let him leave at the moment. Under such circumstances, we are caught in a dilemma. I need to communicate with our managing director.

"

Per Richards, Rooney has been "given the green light to move to China," as he is now some way down the pecking order in Jose Mourinho's side, and he could make up to £30 million per year in the Chinese Super League.

Mourinho recently refused to rule out the possibility that Rooney could leave United:

It followed a report that suggested the former Everton man could be tempted to China before its transfer window closes at the end of February, per James Ducker in the Telegraph.

Rooney has not started a Premier League game since before Christmas and has only made 17 appearances in the English top flight in 2016-17—nine of them from the bench—per WhoScored.com.

He broke Sir Bobby Charlton's all-time goalscoring record for United with a stunning late equaliser against Stoke City in January, but he has been usurped as the Red Devils' No. 1 striker by Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

Player	Appearances	Goals
Wayne Rooney	549	250
Sir Bobby Charlton	758	249
Denis Law	404	237
Jack Rowley	424	211
Dennis Viollet	293	179

The England captain is also being kept out of the United side by the likes of Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial and Juan Mata, and it can be argued he is no longer needed at the club.

Rooney is still contracted to United until 2019 so the Manchester outfit could demand a hefty fee for their captain, especially as he would be the most high-profile player to move to China since the league's recent rush to sign European stars.

While Tianjin Quanjian are seemingly not interested in Rooney, Ducker reported Beijing Guoan and Guangzhou Evergrande as his key suitors.

It is still possible that Rooney's 12-and-a-half-year spell at Old Trafford could come to a close before the end of the month, and rumours will persist about a potential summer departure even if he does not leave in February.