Mourinho still hopeful of landing Rooney in Chelsea as club prepares to make third bid

Chelsea are preparing to make a third bid for Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney, even as the Old Trafford giants' new boss David Moyes stresses that the English player would not be sold.

According to The Guardian, with Rooney understood to be angry at Moyes' stance and ready to leave the Premier League champions, Mourinho knows there is enough discontent to keep alive his hope of bringing the England forward to Stamford Bridge.

Rooney's advisers are fully aware of the Portuguese's intentions and if, as expected, the striker hands in a transfer request within the next week, that will encourage a third Chelsea bid to test United's resolve further, the report said.

Mourinho said after Chelsea's Real match that they were far away and because they were not in England, it was difficult to know every detail, but they were doing things in the current way so far.

Asked if he would be happy to begin the season without Rooney on board, Mourinho replied that Chelsea has very good young players and what they needed was the management's support, the report added.