Wayne Rooney is to be offered a record-breaking contract by Manchester United in a bid to ward off summer interest from rival clubs.
The contract, reported to be worth £300,000 per week, would make Rooney the highest-paid English player in history and keep him at Old Trafford into his thirties.
The England international has entered the final 18 months of his current deal, with clubs including Chelsea and PSG thought to be circling.
The lucrative offer is clear signal of intent from David Moyes and the United hierarchy, who faced criticism in the summer for a lack of marquee signings other than £28million flop Marouane Fellaini.
Rooney has been given access to the club’s list of transfer targets by his manager in an effort to show the 28-year-old that he will be well served by staying in southwest Manchester.
The Times reported on Sunday that talks are already underway between United and the player’s agent, Paul Stretford, and the contract could be signed by the end of this week.
It is a huge contrast to the stance taken by Sir Alex Ferguson during Rooney’s first attempt to leave in 2010, with the striker citing a lack of top-drawer signings, to which Ferguson responded ‘it was none of his [Rooney’s] business’.
Since announcing his desire to leave at the end of last season the former-Everton player has made an about-turn, playing a key part in United’s stuttering campaign with 11 goals and 19 assists.
The Reds have been far more decisive with their transfer policy this month, having just sealed the £37.1million capture of creative midfielder Juan Mata from Chelsea.
Both Rooney and Robin van Persie are out injured for the time being and in signing the Spanish playmaker Moyes has moved to rectify the dearth of goal-scoring chances being created while at the same time proving he can attract world-class players.
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