Jose Mourinho’s first season at Manchester United hasn’t quite gone to plan
#3 Wayne Rooney
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Mourinho has kept faith in Wayne Rooney to little return this season
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This one is perhaps less of his own doing as it’s quite clear his best days are behind him now, but Rooney has continued to spiral downwards this season, barely figuring as a starting player and only scoring 5 goals in his truncated 31 appearances.
As a Rooney fan, while it was somewhat of a relief that Mourinho didn’t dispose of the faded star as soon as he arrived – clearly he’d learned from his attempts to do the same to Iker Casillas at Real Madrid – there’s no denying that he hasn’t really paid back the faith that Mourinho put in him by keeping him as club captain.
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Sure, he’s broken a couple of records this season – he’s now United’s all-time highest goalscorer as well as their highest ever scorer in Europe – but his true powers seem to have all but faded away now as he slowly seems to be transitioning into a player on the periphery.
Will he move to China in the summer? Hopefully not – he still has something to offer to a lower Premier League team – but it seems inconceivable that Mourinho would keep him after this season’s performances.
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About the author
Scott Newman
Scott is a veteran MMA writer with over two decades of experience, including his ongoing tenure in Sportskeeda, which began seven years ago. He has written over 3000 pieces for the organization, while also covering football. Before joining Sportskeeda, Scott wrote articles for websites like The Oratory and Inside Pulse MMA.
Scott has a degree in history, which drives his research skills and helps him compile accurate information. His long stint in the field helps Scott provide a clear take on important topics, such as the criticism of promotions regarding fighter pay. While he feels fighters deserve a bigger revenue share, he doesn’t want MMA to suffer with purse-split issues.
Scott’s work has been previously reshared by the former UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman. He uses credible sources, such as the UFC’s official website, during the writing process.
His dedication to MMA writing won him the Feature Writer of the Month award for Sportskeeda in November 2021.
Outside of work, Scott likes to go to the gym, walk his dog, and travel.
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