Wayne Rooney 'keeps getting picked only because Manchester United want to sell him'

ByToby Keel

Published 19/09/2016 at 10:17 GMT

Jose Mourinho is being widely lambasted for continuing to persevere with Wayne Rooney - but one pundit has suggested that there is an excellent reason why the Red Devils' captain is seemingly undroppable.

Rooney has been widely lambasted for some dreadful performances of late - not least at the weekend, when social media users were merciless in their judgement on the England and United skipper.

[BEST TWEETS: ‘Wayne Rooney’s delivery physically and emotionally hurt me’]

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Former Ireland international Stephen Hunt has penned a column in the Irish Indepedent explaining that Mourinho's dogged insistence on sticking with the misfiring Rooney is actually a smart move from the Manchester United manager.

"If I was manager of Manchester United, I would do what Jose Mourinho is doing now and continue to pick Wayne Rooney - but only because I would be looking to sell him," wrote former Reading and Wolves stalwart Hunt.

"And it wouldn't surprise me at all if that's the plan.

"I think it's clear to anyone that Rooney isn't the player he was, but that doesn't mean there isn't a value to playing him.... it means his actual value in the market isn't affected."

Manchester United's Wayne Rooney remonstrates with referee Michael Oliver

Image credit: Reuters

Hunt added that Rooney is still capable of the odd moment - such as the pass to Marcus Rashford during the match against Hull - but added that United can survive despite not putting out their best XI.

"If you were to pick United's best team, Rooney probably wouldn't be in it. He doesn't really fit Mourinho's best system, and that system would likely involve a different role for Paul Pogba, with Rashford obviously in it.

"But Mourinho also knows United can still do enough with the team as it is. They can still win their fair share of games on experience. So all of this amounts to a bit of politics from Mourinho."

Mourinho: We have to improve, no doubt

Hunt then went on to praise Rooney for his level of effort - comparing him favourably to Jimmy Bullard in his lucrative but nigh-on-embarrassing final season at Hull, and Dimitar Berbatov while in action for Bulgaria.

"Mourinho knows he hasn't got a bad player in Rooney. He trusts Rooney in a way that he doesn't trust Juan Mata. That's obvious," added Hunt.

"That might not keep some of the fans happy, but that's not Mourinho's job. His job is to win games, to get results, and Rooney still has the personality for that."

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