Arsenal & Chelsea join scramble for Rooney

The Manchester United star is keen leave Old Trafford ahead of the impending appointment of David Moyes, with the striker said to be unwilling to work under his former boss

Arsenal and Chelsea have joined the scramble to sign Wayne Rooney from Manchester United this summer.

The two London heavyweights have registered their interest in the United forward after being alerted to his potential availability.

Goal understands that Rooney’s resolve to leave Old Trafford has been strengthened by the impending appointment of David Moyes, who will be confirmed as Sir Alex Ferguson’s successor on Thursday.

Sources have said that the striker, who has had his differences with Moyes in the past, is unwilling to work under his former boss and his first manager in professional football.

England’s talisman told Ferguson two weeks ago that he wanted a transfer at the end of the season but the Scot made it clear that the club were not willing to sell him.

Rooney has grown increasingly frustrated with his downgrade in status at Old Trafford, which culminated in him being dropped for United’s biggest game of the season, the Champions League last-16 second-leg tie against Real Madrid.

As revealed by Goal in March, the 27-year-old harboured doubts about his future long before the Real showdown. He is believed to have told team-mates during the international break in the first week of February that he could leave United in the summer.

All of Europe’s leading clubs have been alerted to Rooney’s situation in recent days.

Paris Saint-Germain had expressed an interest earlier in the year but Chelsea, Bayern Munich and, more surprisingly, Arsenal have now asked to be kept informed of developments in what is shaping up to be one of the biggest transfer sagas of the summer.