Wayne Rooney's future at Manchester United remains clouded in uncertainty as he reportedly considers his position at the club.
The England striker has been the subject of intense speculation since the end of last season, after Manchester United's outgoing manager Alex Ferguson suggested that Rooney had handed in a transfer request following his omission from several key fixtures in the club's Premier League title-winning campaign.
Rooney subsequently denied those claims, while new manager David Moyes insisted in his opening press conference at Old Trafford that the former Everton forward was not for sale.
The club had hoped to draw a line under the matter following those public reassurances.
However, Rooney's future at United has been thrown into fresh doubt on Tuesday amid reports that he is 'angered and confused' about comments made by Moyes suggesting that he will no longer be a first choice at the club.
Moyes, speaking to the press on the club's pre-season tour in Bangkok last week, repeated his assurances that Rooney was not for sale, insisting that he had a 'major role to play'.
But Moyes subsequently added: "Overall, my thought on Wayne is that if for any reason we had an injury to Robin van Persie we are going to need him. I want as many options as possible."
Those statements are now widely reported to have caused Rooney, who has two years still to run on his contract at Old Trafford, to review his position.
And that news is sure to be of interest to a host of clubs, including both Arsenal and Chelsea.
The London pair have been linked with bids for the 27-year-old striker, who pulled out of the club's pre-season tour to Asia citing a hamstring injury, with Chelsea winger Eden Hazard declaring that he would be a 'brilliant' signing for the Stamford Bridge outfit.
"We've heard all the names, it's not up to us who comes in but it's exciting," Hazard said.
"Rooney would be a brilliant signing. He's a really great player who has the experience, and he's still only young, at 27. He's got a few years left to play.
"It's always a pleasure to play with great players and Chelsea sign great players."
