Rooney: A Better Fit for Jose’s Chelsea or Arsene’s Arsenal?

Despite new Manchester United manager David Moyes reiterating that Wayne Rooney is “not for sale” as the club embark on their pre-season tour of the Far East, our resident Chelsea and Arsenal fans discuss how the England superstar might slot into the two London sides’ lineups:

CHELSEA

At the start of the second decade of Roman Abramovich’s reign in West London and with the revisit of Jose Mourinho to the Chelsea dugout, could signing their greatest rival’s talisman represent the required signal of intent going into what will surely be a crucial campaign for the Blues?

With Fernando Torres misfiring, Demba Ba not yet having cemented his place and the returning Romelu Lukaku’s career still in its infancy, there would seem to be a clear opening for Rooney to integrate himself into the Chelsea set-up and help them build on their status as London’s leading light by spearheading their assault on the Premier League crown.

Through the service of a now established Eden Hazard and Oscar, impressive on international duty this summer with Brazil, as well as Juan Mata, should rumours linking the Spaniard with a move away from Stamford Bridge prove unfounded, Rooney might provide the bond between midfield and attack so desperately lacking from the West Londoners’ play last season.

His ability to hold the ball up through tenacity and deftness of touch or to play deeper and link play with his exquisite range of passing could deliver a crispness on the counter, while his variety and ruthlessness in front of goal may well give the side the cutting edge missing since the departure of Didier Drogba last year.

Fitness and temperament remain issues the England forward would need to monitor in such an intense environment as exists in SW6 but, at 27 and with a family to support him, not to mention a stellar career already behind him, it is hard to imagine the bullish goal-getter not making an instant impact both on the Blues and on the destination of the title come next May as he gears up for the World Cup in Brazil.

S. Robinson

ARSENAL

Hailed as the ‘white Pele’ by the Britsh press as a teen, it is probably fair to say Wayne Rooney has not reached the heights he or his fans would have hoped thus far in his career.

Despite winning five league titles and playing in three Champions League finals (winning one), the Liverpool-born forward has never enjoyed top billing during his trophy years at Manchester United.

From 2007 to 2009, Cristiano Ronaldo stole the show at the Theatre of Dreams and last season’s United were reliant on their then newly captured Robin, former Arsenal captain Van Persie.

So could Rooney follow Van Persie’s path in the opposite direction and make Arsenal champions for the first time since 2004, finally proving he can be the main man in a successful side?

I’m loathe to discuss the finer intricacies of Rooney’s on-field suitability to this Arsenal side, partly because as we approach mid-July, we still have no idea who the Gunners will sign or discard. But also owing to my belief Rooney has all the requisite natural ability (speed-of-thought, vision, passing, shooting, hold-up play etc) to be integrated into a possession-based side like Arsenal with ease. Be that spear-heading the attack, or operating ‘in the hole’ off a front man.

Instead, I feel key to any potential transfer to Emirates Stadium will prove to be fitness. For if Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger demands one thing from his charges above all else, it’s that they strive to ensure optimum physical conditioning at all times. Just ask Andrei Arshavin.

“The team here are telling me it is the best shape they have seen him in for five years”, said new United manager David Moyes of Rooney this week.

Initially, that sounds positive – Rooney looks sharp. But then you wonder why Wayne is regarded as being in ‘better shape’ now, at 27, than at any age from 22 to 26. Injury layoffs aside, the conclusion is Rooney hasn’t looked after himself as well as he might have.

“Football is a high-level sport and you must live the life of a monk”, said Wenger, when discussing the idea of working with Rooney as long ago as 2004.

Perhaps he’d spotted some tell-tale signs even then.

“You have a ritual - you go training, you sleep, you prepare. There is only one thing to be answered - how much do you love to play the game?”

Two years earlier, following Rooney’s match-winning cameo for Everton against Arsenal at Goodison Park, Wenger was quick to anoint England’s new boy wonder.

"He's supposed to be 16," he said, in awe at Rooney’s impact on the game at such a tender age.

"At that age, Rooney is already a complete footballer. The guy can play. He's the best English under-20 I've seen since I came here [in 1996].

“He can play people in, he's clever and a natural, built like a Gascoigne with his low centre of gravity. And he can dribble - I like strikers who can dribble."

So he certainly has the skill and assuming he maintains his new-found  fitness, what else is there to consider regarding Rooney in red and white?

Can Arsenal afford him?  According to their chief executive, Ivan Gazidis, the Londoners can afford Rooney “and more”.

With significant shareholder Alisher Usmanov also publically championing a bid for Rooney, the prospect of him playing regularly in tandem with a core of English international talent, including Jack Wilshere, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Kieran Gibbs and Carl Jenkinson, leading up to the World Cup in 12 months’ time should make a transfer to N5 exciting not just for Arsenal fans, but for England too.

MAK