By John Marshall
Newspaper Columnist Piers Morgan has confirmed that Manchester United captain Wayne Rooney was offered a mind-blowing lucrative deal to swap his career in England for a new life in China.
As revealed by Morgan, the England captain was offered a three-year deal worth nine figures after tax.
In December, Sportsmail reported that Rooney was wanted by Shanghai SIPG – in a move that would have seen him reunited with former England manager Sven-Goran Erikkson.
And writing in his column, Morgan has confirmed, following a conversation with Rooney, that the Chinese Super League outfit were keen to sign the 30-year-old.
‘My phone rang at 11pm tonight [February 20]. It was England football captain Wayne Rooney,’ he wrote.
‘He wanted to discuss his forthcoming Manchester United testimonial plans this summer.
‘But we also talked about reports in the papers this week that he’s been offered ridiculous sums of money to go and play in China for Shanghai, a team managed by Sven-Goran Eriksson.
‘”It’s true,” ‘he said.
‘How big a salary are we talking?’
‘Rooney chuckled.
‘Come on,’ “I prodded,” ‘make me sick.
‘He then revealed a figure, based on a three-year deal, so stupendously, stratospherically gigantic that it did indeed make me feel instantly nauseous. (Without giving too much away, let’s just say it included eight noughts…) I literally gasped in horror, prompting him to add a final killer blow: “After tax!”‘
Rooney has missed the Red Devils’ last six games in all competitions after damaging knee ligaments during their 2-1 defeat at Sunderland last month.
He is is back in light training at Manchester United this week as he targets a return to full fitness by the end of the month.
Rooney is said to be upset that he will not be involved in the Europa League double header against Liverpool, with United travelling to Anfield to face their old rivals in the first leg on Thursday.
He is also set to miss the FA Cup quarter-final against West Ham this weekend and the Manchester derby at the Etihad Stadium on March 20, as well as England’s friendlies against Germany and Holland towards the end of the month.
Rooney could return against his former club Everton at Old Trafford on April 3, although he will not want to take any risks with his fitness with Euro 2016 kicking off little more than two months later.
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