Man Utd transfer news: Schweinsteiger in Deadline Day stand-off

Man Utd transfer news: Rooney snubs China, £40m for Cavani

22 February

Some good news at last for United fans as they nervously prepare for tonight's trip to play Shrewsbury in the FA Cup. According to the Sunday People Wayne Rooney "has snubbed two approaches" from Chinese Super League teams and has told the Old Trafford board he wants to see out his contract, which has two more years to run.

Stories emerged last week suggesting the 30-year-old - currently sidelined until April with a knee injury - might move on in the summer. But the People says that Rooney's agent, Paul Stretford, has "politely rebuffed" two offers from unnamed Chinese outfits.

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One is believed to be in the region of £27m but Rooney has told his suitors that he "intends to stay until at least 2018" and surpass Bobby Charlton’s all-time United scoring record.

The People says that the only scenario that could see Rooney leave Old Trafford is if United "rip up his £300,000-a-week contract and tell him he’s no longer wanted at the club". But the paper says Jose Mourinho, expected to replace Louis van Gaal in the summer as manager, is a big fan of the England skipper and wants to work with him in re-establishing United's reputation.

And might Rooney get the chance to partner Edinson Cavani next season? The Daily Star says that United have been told by Paris Saint-Germain that the "Uruguay striker wants a move to the Premier League" - and they'll let him go for £40m. That might be too high for United, however, says the Star, allowing a possible bid by Chelsea, who are also said to be eyeing up Cavani.

Man Utd transfer news: will Wayne Rooney head to China?

19 February

What a week for Wayne Rooney. No sooner had the England skipper been ruled out for two months with a knee injury but the Manchester Evening News declared the Red Devils could offload him to a Chinese Super League club in the summer.

The startling revelation that United are open to offers suggests the club feel the 30-year-old is approaching his twilight years and want to cash in their chips while they can.

With Rooney fighting to recover from ligament damage in his left knee, United know they are unlikely to see him hit top form for the rest of the season. The MEN says United will sell "only if they make a marquee signing", but with a host of top flight players being linked to Old Trafford - including Gareth Bale, Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar - that seems a given.

Picking up the story, the Daily Mirror says the Chinese club in question is believed to be Shanghai Shenhua and the offer tabled is worth in the region of £27m. The paper adds that Shenua are prepared to pay Rooney £500,000-a-week for a three-year deal, but that figure could increase with "another Chinese club ready to enter the battle for the forward".

Meanwhile, Caughtoffside reports comments made in German rag Bild about Wolfsburg full-back Ricardo Rodriguez. It seems the Swiss international "is targeting a move to a bigger club" and that might mean United.

Apparently, the Premier League powerhouse is "lining up an offer" for Rodriguez, capitalising on the fact his other suitors, Real Madrid, are banned from any transfer activity until the summer of 2017.

Man Utd transfer news: striker setback but Ibrahimovic free

18 February

Having seen off Chelsea on Tuesday night in the Champions League, are Paris Saint-Germain now about to brush Manchester United aside in the race to sign Mauro Icardi?

The Daily Star, passing on information reported in Italian outlet Sports Mediaset, says Inter Milan are willing to sell Icardi, though only for "a whopping £35m". PSG owner Nasser al-Khelaifi is mulling over a possible move and United may have to give up their fight to land the Argentine striker, who is said to be "one of Jose Mourinho's top transfer targets" if he's appointed as United boss.

Meanwhile, The Sun reports that the Red Devils "have been dealt a big blow" by the news Robert Lewandowski wants to pledge his future to Bayern Munich. United, along with Manchester City, have been linked to the Polish striker in recent months, but The Sun quotes the 27-year-old frontman as saying: "I know there has been interest from other clubs but right now, I see myself signing a contract extension with Bayern because we have a great club. This club understands how to repay great actions by their players."

Better news in the Daily Telegraph, however, with the paper claiming Zlatan Ibrahimovic "has left the door open" to a summer move to Old Trafford.

The gangly Swedish goal machine is in the final year of his PSG contract and he's widely tipped to move to the US, with the Telegraph reporting that PSG's Qatari owners "are in talks to buy a stake in David Beckham's Miami Major League Soccer franchise".

If that deal goes through, adds the paper, Ibrahimovic is "expected to join with the club aiming to start playing in the MLS in 2018". But that will leave the 34-year-old with a year to kill and the Telegraph says Mourinho - all but assured of becoming United's next manager - will sign him, renewing their partnership from their days at Inter Milan in 2008-09, when they won the Italian title.

Man Utd transfer news: Cavani frustration as Juventus wait

17 February

The future of Edinson Cavani remains as mysterious as a Louis van Gaal tactics board with Metro reporting that the PSG striker's old man has dropped his clearest hint yet that his son is heading out of Paris.

Luis Cavani was asked by broadcaster Sport5 about the fact his son was being played out of position to accommodate Zlatan Ibrahimovic and the Uruguayan replied: "Edinson is suffering at PSG. If they let him play as the number nine he will be happy."

The 29-year-old frontman, who scored the winner for PSG against Chelsea last night, has been linked with Manchester United many times in the last year, and Cavani senior admitted the Red Devils were one of the clubs they were thinking about.

"I would like to see him play for Real Madrid, Manchester United or Juventus," he admitted. "Manchester United are always linked during the transfer window... but in the end nothing materialises."

But Talksport has a different take on events, saying that Juventus are closing in on a deal as they look to replace Alvaro Morata and Mario Mandzukic.

The pair are leaving Turin in the summer and according to Talksport Juve are "now leading the race" to land Cavani and their scouts were even in Paris last night to watch him dent Chelsea's hopes in the Champions League.

If United fail to land Cavani, might they try instead for Watford hotshot Odion Ighalo? The Daily Star thinks so, the paper reporting that the Hornets are resigned to losing him and are planning to bring in brilliantly-monikered 20-year-old Nigerian striker Isaac Success from Spanish club Granada as his replacement.

United are the frontrunners to sign Ighalo although they're likely to face competition from Chelsea.

Man Utd transfer news: £70m for Aubameyang this summer

15 February

Chased out of Sunderland by the Black Cats on Saturday, are United going to turn Borussia Dortmund striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang? The Mail on Sunday claims that United, who went down 2-1 at the Stadium of Light, are "closing in" on a £70m deal for the 26-year-old come the summer.

The news will come as a shock to Arsenal, long linked to the sharpshooter who has netted 27 times already this season. But the Mail says that such is United's desperation to become a serious force in Europe once more, they are determined to beat Arsenal to the prize. It's believed the Gunners intend to still make a move for Aubameyang but with United rolling in cash these days, it will be difficult for the Gunners to compete with their rivals financial clout.

And United might have even more cash in the coffers at the end of the season with the Sunday People reporting that a "number of sides have been in contact about a big-money deal" for Spanish midfielder Juan Mata. Several of the clubs are believed to be Chinese and the People says they have the financial muscle to outbid Atletico Madrid, "understood to be lining up a move" for the playmaker.

Mata, who joined United from Chelsea in a £37m transfer two years ago, takes home £170,000-a-week and that is too much for Atletico to match. But it's peanuts for the Chinese, and the People says that "three clubs from the Chinese Super League have been in contact" to discuss a deal for the 27-year-old.