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Wenger Confirms Arsenal Can Compete With Chelsea For Wayne Rooney

By on July 18, 2013

According to reports today, Arsene Wenger is ready to battle Chelsea for the signature of unsettled Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney and insists Arsenal can afford his wage demands.

The 27-year-old striker is looking to leave the champions after being left “angry and confused” by manager David Moyes’ comments when he hinted that Rooney was considered as a back-up player to Robin van Persie.

Chelsea made the first move by submitting an opening bid on Tuesday, which the Express newspaper claims was a straight cash deal worth £20m. United rejected that offer immediately and insisted the striker was not for sale and it appears Rooney will now have to sacrifice millions of pounds in loyalty bonuses and hand in a transfer request to push through a move to London.

Jose Mourinho admitted on Wednesday that Rooney was his only target this summer but it looks like Arsenal may be ready to enter the race. It’s widely accepted we’re in the market for a top class striker this summer and Arsene Wenger has claimed the club would have no problem meeting Rooney’s wage demands, but insists the power is with United as the player still has two years left to run on his current deal.

“It happened to us last year and it can happen to them,” Wenger said in reference to Arsenal selling RVP last summer

“We would not have a problem with the wages of Rooney.

“Rooney is under contract and has two years to go so it’s United who make the decision. But we would not have a problem with the wages of Rooney.”

As we continue to struggle to find a breakthrough in negotiations for Luis Suarez and Gonzalo Higuain, Wayne Rooney would be an interesting alternative. He’s no doubt got the talent we’re looking for but he’s likely to be the most expensive of the three due to his reported £250,000-a-week wages, and I personally feel he’ll end up joining Chelsea.

It’s worth a go as we should be interested when any top player is ‘available’, but I think we should concentrate on Suarez and Higuain as they’re more likely to come off.

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Which striker would you like Arsenal to sign this summer? Rooney? Suarez? Higuain?

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