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MANCHESTER. – A few hours after he became Manchester United’s record goalscorer, the club’s marketing department were, true to form, announcing their range of Wayne Rooney memorabilia – mugs and shirts all bearing the number 250.However, now he has broken Sir Bobby Charlton’s record how much longer will Rooney remain at Old Trafford? He will always be a part of the fabric of Manchester United’s history but when asked if Rooney might move to China or the United States, his manager, Jose Mourinho, said he would not stand in his way.

By this, Mourinho meant not that he wanted to push Rooney out of the exit doors but that the striker had earned the right to decide his own future.

The Manchester United manager said he was not one of those who condemned footballers who went to China. They were no more mercenaries than those who come to the English Premier League for very large cheques.

“It is up to him,” Mourinho said, when asked if Rooney could end up in the Chinese Super League. “I don’t like to be critical of those who go to China. It is their life. The money is huge; the experience can also be interesting. ‘‘ – Reuters.