Rooney to China? Eriksson says no to United captain

Shanghai SIPG head coach Sven-Goran Eriksson has ruled out luring out-of-favour Manchester United captain Wayne Rooney to the Chinese Super League.

Rooney is no longer an automatic starter at Old Trafford, with the England skipper down Jose Mourinho’s pecking order in Manchester.

As a result, Rooney has been linked with a return to boyhood club Everton, while MLS and CSL are possible destinations for the 31-year-old.

However, Eriksson – who worked with Rooney while in charge of England – has no plan to bring the country’s all-time leading goalscorer to China.

“Everyone knows how much I admire Rooney. That’s one thing,” Eriksson told The Sun.

“To make out we are going to sign him is something else. There is absolutely nothing in it, zero.

“It is not something we have ever even spoken about at the club — and we have been discussing our options for next season a lot.”

“I have always known Rooney as a forward — one of the best I have worked with,” Eriksson added.

“But we already have Hulk, Elkeson and Dario Conca, who are all very good, as our forwards.

“He [Rooney] is still a very good player with a lot of quality. I’m sure he could come to China in the future. He is the type of player the league will be after.”