Chelsea Determined to Beat Arsenal in Race for England Star - Report

Chelsea have reportedly told Manchester United to name their price for Wayne Rooney.

Sir Alex Ferguson had confirmed last week that the 27-year-old had put in a transfer request. The Red Devils quickly rejected it but it now seems the England striker is heading for a summer exit from Old Trafford.

Chelsea have not been put off by United's public insistence that Rooney will not be sold, according to the Mirror. The report claims the Blues are now ready to shell out over £30m and match the player's £250,000-per-week wage package, to bring the forward to west London.

United's new manager David Moyes' top priority is to speak with Rooney about his future, with the Scot hoping to persuade the former Everton man to stay at United. However, Chelsea are ready to offer the wantaway star an escape route and are confident of their chances.

Arsenal are also understood to be weighing up a summer move for the England international, but the report states Roman Abramovich is determined to see off competition from fellow suitors, including Paris Saint-Germain.

Jose Mourinho is edging closer to making a return to Stamford Bridge this summer and the Portuguese tactician is believed to be an ardent admirer of Rooney.

"Chelsea want to make sure that if Wayne leaves United, there is only one place he will go. They are prepared to spend, big, big money on Rooney and they have told United that," the Mirror quoted a source as saying.

"Mourinho would love to manage Rooney. He thinks he can get him back to his best and use him in a ­similar way to how Didier Drogba operated for Chelsea," the source added.

Rooney, whose partner Coleen is due to give birth to the couple's second child this weekend, is expected to sit out United's last game of the season against West Bromwich Albion today, Ferguson's final game in charge of United.

Torres not Worried about Transfer Talk

Meanwhile, Chelsea striker Fernando Torres insists he is not worried about the Blues signing players who would compete for his position this summer.

"All of us are expecting Chelsea to sign top players in all the positions. Anyone who comes here is a team-mate, not an enemy. Everyone expects it, it's normal. Every top side in the world signs top players every summer," the Spaniard said.

"All the things that have happened in the past are in the past. This season, for me especially, has been much better than the first two. Thinking in the future, you have to leave everything else in the past. I am looking forward, it's a great squad and, hopefully, the majority of us will stay at Chelsea and fight for more trophies," Torres added.