New Manchester United manager David Moyes says he is looking forward to playing “mind games” with Jose Mourinho as Chelsea step up their interest in unsettled striker Wayne Rooney.
Amid reports that Mourinho’s Chelsea are considering a 40 million pound ($61 million) bid to land Rooney, the Premier League champions insist the England striker is not for sale as Moyes looks to make his mark after taking over from Alex Ferguson.
Moyes won his first match as United manager in the Red Devils’ 5-1 victory over the Australian A-League All Stars in Sydney on Saturday but the main interest again centred on players not on the club’s pre-season Asian tour.
Moyes remained tight-lipped after the match on the Rooney situation and the club’s attempts to sign midfielder Cesc Fabregas from Barcelona.
“I have not had any more news since we last spoke (on Friday),” Moyes told a post-match press conference. “I have no more updates of anything really, so I cannot give you anything positive or negative.”
Pressed further Moyes was asked by a Scottish reporter about his readiness for a battle of mind games with the cagey Mourinho.
“It sounds like your accent is the same as mine, so you must be from Glasgow,” Moyes said. “But if you’re from Glasgow you quite enjoy those kind of things, so bring it on.”
British newspapers reported after the Sydney match that United are prepared to increase their offer to lure former Arsenal playmaker Fabregas to Old Trafford. Moyes, whose squad were due to fly to Tokyo on Sunday for the next leg of their pre-season tour, confirmed last week that a formal offer, in the region of 26 million pounds, had been lodged for Fabregas.
