Chelsea On Alert As Man Utd Will Sell Wayne Rooney This Summer If They Claim Fourth

With the January transfer window in full flow clubs are working hard to try and strengthen their squad for the second half of the season, so we’ll keep you up-to-date with all the latest news, gossip and rumours. Today, Man Utd could sell Wayne Rooney this summer.

Chelsea have been placed on red-alert with the Daily Star reporting in an ‘exclusive’ that Manchester United WILL be prepared to sell Wayne Rooney this summer IF they qualify for the Champions League.

Rooney’s future has filled the back pages for some time due to uncertainty over whether he’ll sign an extension to his contract that expires in just 18 months time.

Chelsea were strongly linked with a move for the 28-year-old in the summer with boss Jose Mourinho confirming he was their No.1 target, but United rejected their £24m offer and insisted they wouldn’t sell at any price.

The Blues have reportedly retained their interest in the striker and are ready to pounce should they get the slightest inclination that United will sell, and they may just get the go-ahead this summer if the Star’s report is to be believed.

The newspaper claims that United are ready to cash-in on Rooney at the end of the season but only if they manage to finish fourth and qualify for the Champions League.

However, should they finish outside the top-four, the report suggests that David Moyes will force him to remain at Old Trafford – even if it means he runs down the last year of his contract – so he can help the club get back in to Europe’s elite competition.

Obviously missing out on Champions League football would be a disaster for a club like United, who have been a regular fixture in the competition for over 15 years. It would also be a huge blow for Moyes to finish outside the top-four in his first season in charge, so it would be understandable if he didn’t want any extra backlash from the fans by selling Rooney as well.

United face a real fight to qualify for the Champions League this season as they currently languish down in seventh place in the Premier League table. They are 14 points off leaders Arsenal, so the title is gone, but they are still six points adrift of fourth-placed Liverpool and Tottenham while Everton are also five points ahead.

Arsenal, Chelsea and Man City appear out of touch and odds on to finish in the top three, which leaves the defending champions in a four-way fight for that one remaining spot in the top-four, and it looks like the outcome might just determine whether Rooney stays or goes.

ALSO READ: Chelsea ready to sell Juan Mata to United

Whether United would be prepared to sell to a rival like Chelsea remains to be seen, but the Blues might just be cheering them on to finish fourth so they can try and lure Rooney to Stamford Bridge.

Would United fans be disappointed if the club sold Rooney to Chelsea? Share your views below.