The Portuguese has been in hot pursuit of the unsettled striker this transfer window but United have turned down both bids he has lodged thus far.
The Premier League champions host Chelsea on Monday night and Mourinho, despite saying on Friday that he would not lodge a third bid until after the game – declaring that it would be against his ‘ethical code’ – has urged United to let the player move to Stamford Bridge.
“To me it is not a difficult decision because you want very much to keep Rooney or you don’t want to keep him?”
he said. “But that old-fashioned mentality of, ‘I don’t sell players to clubs in the same country’ – I think doesn’t help.
“Sometimes you push players abroad when you should be keeping them in your league because then you are contributing to making your league the best league.
“You see in Italy it happens every season without any problems. Filippo Inzaghi played for Juventus, Milan. From the big players, only Francesco Totti stayed for life. Andrea Pirlo – Inter, Milan, Juventus.”
Chelsea are expected to complete a £30 million swoop for Brazilian Willian, having snatched the attacker from under the nose of Tottenham Hotspur, and Mourinho confirmed Rooney would be the final target.
He also confirmed that United had not enquired about signing Juan Mata.
“That’s hypothetical, because they didn’t ask (about Mata),” he said. “The two answers we got from Man United is ‘we don’t accept the bid’, ‘we’re not interested in selling the player’.
“That’s the only official contact we had with Man United. Till Monday, we have nothing more to add to it.”
by: Cian O'Callaghan, August 25, 2013
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