“Paris Saint Germain have put a staggering £120 million ($184.7 million) aside to lure Manchester United star Wayne Rooney to the French capital, according to reports in Spain. The Qatari-backed Ligue 1 side, who finished three points behind title winners Montpellier, are desperate to establish themselves as a global force,” the report says.
Rooney, 26, is coming off one of his best-ever seasons in the Premier League. His 27 goals powered United to a second-place finish and earned him nominations for both major player of the year awards.
While he was a big hit on the field in the 2011-12 season, Rooney’s had a couple of bumpy patches off it. His relationship with United and its manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, nearly broke down in December. Ferguson fined and dropped the star forward after he broke curfew on Boxing Day. The club issued a statement denying it wanted to sell Rooney amid reports of a widening rift between the two figures.
PSG is owned by the Qatar Investment Authority (QSI), which has bankrolled a spending spree aimed at making it one of Europe’s top teams. In less than a year, PSG has spent nearly £100 million ($157 million) on new players.
Signing Rooney would be a blockbuster of a transfer, as it would herald a new age in world soccer. It’s unlikely United would want to part ways with its star player, as it intends to battle neighbor Manchester City for Premier League supremacy for years to come.
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