Odds on Wayne Rooney Bayern Munich move slashed

Just under a month has elapsed since Bayern Munich sporting director Matthias Sammer scotched rumours that his side were interested in signing sometime want-away Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney with an unequivocal “he’s not on the agenda. No, no. Absolutely not”.

Having signed a similar, younger player to Rooney in Mario Gotze, it seemed there no little place for the Manchester United man at the Allianz Arena.

However, in recent days Ladbrokes have seen fit to trim the European champions from 20/1 to 8/1 in the market for Rooney’s club when the summer transfer window closes.

With little new news linking the England man – who notched in spectacular fashion in the Maracana on his last outing for his nation – to Munich, it can be surmised that the likelihood that Bayern will miss out on Robert Lewandowski this summer is behind the contraction.

It remains unlikely that Rooney will be leaving Manchester for Bavaria, but the striker has spoken in recent days of worries that United’s fans will find it hard to forgive him for his transfer agitation a second time.

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has wasted no time in courting Rooney, suggesting that he and the United man were similar characters for whom “one more pound on his contract” or “one more cup won’t make a difference”. The Blues are 11/5 second-favourites – after his current employers – to be the ex-Everton man’s club next season.

Realistically United have long had a policy of not selling top players to other sides in England, with Juan Sebastian Veron the last first teamer they let go willingly back in 2003, so such a move looks unlikely.

The breakdown of Rooney’s relationship with Sir Alex Ferguson was thought to be the driving force behind his desire to leave Old Trafford and the fact that the club legend will continue to have an active role in the running the club will mean that such rumblings are likely to continue.

PSG are another club that were heavily linked with the United man earlier in the year and they’re currently 7/1 to be his employer at the end of the summer transfer window. Hopes are far from dashed that such a move could go through with the monied French club still ominously inactive in the transfer market.