Wayne Rooney more popular than Lionel Messi in China as speculation grows about move

What’s the story?

Wayne Rooney is more popular than Lionel Messi in China says an according to the latest Red Card report (study on Social media influencers done by Mailman). Wayne Rooney has been rumored to be moving to the Chinese Super League with the window still open for a transfer to China.

Jose Mourinho ahead of Manchester United’s game aginst Saint-Etienne refused to rule out Wayne Rooney leaving before the end of the season, “Of course I can't guarantee [he will be here]. I can't guarantee that I'm here next week, how can I guarantee that a player is here next season?”

In case you didn’t know..

Wayne Rooney has had a poor season for thus far, especially if you compare it to the standards he set during previous seasons at the club. Although he broke Manchester United’s all-time goal scoring record this season, he has just scored 7 goals from 35 appearances this season.

There has been a lot of speculation of him leaving the club, with him playing only a bit part in the season. Paul Scholes has come out and said, that he doesn’t see the Manchester United skipper staying at Old Trafford if he doesn’t get regular game time.

Heart of the matter

Manchester United are the most popular club in China, with the Premier League being marketed heavily in the country. The England skipper is only behind Cristiano Ronaldo, Mesut Ozil, Gareth Bale and Anthony Martial in the social popularity ladder.

But, Wayne Rooney’s name ahead of Messi is a huge surprise given the global following the Barcelona man has. Perhaps, it’s due to the £750,000-a-week contract he has been offered to move the far east.

What’s next?

A lot of pundits and Jose Mourinho has admitted that Wayne Rooney will probably leave the club. He might not be the kind to sit on the bench and soak things in. Having said that, he is more than capable of playing in the top divisions in Europe, being just 31-years-old.

However, the pull of the money from China might be too tempting for the Manchester United record goalscorer. He has been offered a £750,000-a-week contract, which would make him the highest paid footballer in the world.

Sportskeeda’s Take

While it is very surprising that Wayne is ahead of Lionel, there is no denying the global presence of Manchester United in Asia. If the Chinese Super League manages to lure him to the country, it will be a huge coup and a massive statement.

It might even galvanise the League like David Beckham did when he moved to the MLS.