Manchester United captain Wayne Rooney was the subject of an approach from Chinese Super League side Beijing Guoan this summer. The club even met for talks with agent Paul Stretford, honorary chairman Luo Ning has revealed.
The 31-year-old remains contracted at Old Trafford until June 2019 and knocked back the approach from Beijing Guoan because he wants to continue playing with United in the Premier League for as long as possible.
"We indeed made an approach for Rooney at the beginning of the season but he's informed us that he wants to stay in Manchester United," Ning is quoted as saying by the Daily Mail.
"Rooney says he'll keep playing in the Premier League as long as his health allows. We even met with his agent."
Rooney has been linked with a move to China, as well as Major League Soccer in the United States for a number of months, as his career begins to wind down.
Chinese clubs have paid a premium for European-based players like Alex Teixeira, Jackson Martinez, Hulk and others in 2016 and Rooney could potentially at least match his current wages of up to £300,000-per-week were he ever to make the move.
However, any move to North America would likely result in Rooney taking a significant pay-cut, with the top annual MLS salaries for 'Designated Players' paid to the likes of fading superstars Kaka and Frank Lampard and max out at around $7m.
Rooney's current United contract earns him in the region of £15m in any given year.
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