Monaco preparing sensational summer bid for Man Utd ace

Despite Sir Alex Ferguson’s insistence that he is going nowhere, rumours continue to persist about the long-term future of Wayne Rooney.

Ever since being left out of Manchester United’s Champions League bout with Real Madrid, a host of clubs have been linked with a move for the globally renowned England star.

And Monaco are the latest, and perhaps most surprising, outfit to have expressed an interest in the 27-year-old trequartista.

The French outfit are on the cusp of promotion back to Ligue One, and have immense financial reserves due to investment from Russian billionaire Dmitry Rybolovlev.

As such, the Red and Whites are intent on bringing in a big-name signing this summer, in order to boost the club’s profile in addition to aiding the side from a playing standpoint.

Moves for Samir Nasri and Carlos Tevez have already been mooted, but Rooney has now emerged top of Monaco manager Claudio Ranieri’s wishlist.

A player recognisable the world over, the commercial incentives of a move for Rooney are obvious, whilst his pedigree at club and international level would likely necessitate Ranieri to build the team around him, were he to join.

Although Rooney himself could likely have his pick of some of the world’s leading sides, with Bayern Munich and Real known admirers, he could feasibly be tempted by the opportunity to become the focal point of an exciting project in France.

Indeed, it is believed that Champions League qualification is a serious ambition of Monaco’s next season, and the addition of players such as Rooney can go a long way to achieving that.

He would be offered a lucrative tax-free salary to make the switch, with Monaco officials clarifying that they would “blow rivals out of the water” financially in order to clinch a deal this summer.

And with this probably the last time United could demand a massive fee for the forward, Ferguson could be tempted to part with his asset for £40m by the season’s end.

All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.