United to swap Rooney for Thiago?

The Express claims that reports in Spain suggest that Manchester United could accept a swap deal for Barcelona midfielder Thiago Alcantara, which could see Wayne Rooney move in the opposite direction.

The Premier League champions are believed to be closing in on a move to Old Trafford for a reduced price of £15m due to a release clause in his contract.

However, Catalan newspaper Sport have suggested that Barcelona are planning a swap deal, following reports that they are interested in securing the services of Rooney, who has been linked with a move away from Manchester since the end of last season.

Former manager Sir Alex Ferguson had announced that the England international had handed in a transfer request, though this has since been denied by the player.

Should the elaborate swap deal come to fruition, the La Liga Champions would need to add a transfer fee to the deal, with Rooney valued at around £30m.

However, the Mirror have today reported that David Moyes wants to keep the striker at the club.

The United boss is set to talk to Rooney when they report for pre-season training next month, and is expected to tell the 27 year old that he is part of his plans.