Football
Mark Ogden, Senior Writer, ESPN FC 7y

Wayne Rooney in a 'happy place' with Manchester United amid China links

Wayne Rooney has played down the prospect of a summer move to China by insisting he is in a "happy place" at Manchester United.

The 31-year-old eclipsed Sir Bobby Charlton as the club's all-time record goal scorer with an injury-time free kick against Stoke City on Saturday -- his 250th goal for United. But the United and England has also been the subject of growing speculation over a move to the Chinese Super League after losing his regular starting position under Jose Mourinho.

Rooney has started just 17 of United's 34 games in all competitions, scoring five goals, and has seen Zlatan Ibrahimovic emerge as the club's new talisman this season.

But while admitting he wants to play more often, Rooney insists he remains committed to the United, with his Old Trafford contract not due to expire until June 2018.

"Of course, I'm committed to the club," Rooney told a Football Writers' Association Tribute evening in London on Sunday. "I've been at the club a long time and you know football is a strange game and anything can happen, things change very quickly, but I'm happy at Manchester United.

"Of course, as I've said before, I want to play more games, but I'm in a happy place at the moment."

Having arrived at United from Everton as the world's most expensive teenager in a £27m deal in August 2004, Rooney has won five Premier League titles, a Champions League and both domestic cups during his time at the club.

United face Hull City at the KC Stadium on Thursday, aiming to build on a 2-0 semifinal first-leg lead to progress to the final of the EFL Cup, while the team are now back in the race for Champions League qualification following a 17-game unbeaten run in all competitions.

And Rooney believes that, four years and three managers after the retirement of Sir Alex Ferguson, the good times are finally returning to the club under Mourinho.

"Yeah, 100 percent," he said. "I've been at the club a long time and you do get feelings of what is going to happen in the next two or three years.

"Jose Mourinho is certainly the right manager for the football club and I think in the next few years, the club will be very successful.

"It is too early to talk about a title challenge [this season]. Chelsea are doing really well, but I certainly think that bunch of teams behind Chelsea need to keep picking up points.

"And we need to keep picking up points to stay in touch with them and overtake a few teams first before we can even look at catching Chelsea."

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