Liverpool
Rooney: The Mourinho Conversation That Cleared the Path to His 2017 Exit
Rooney says an ‘honest conversation’ with José Mourinho convinced him to leave United in 2017. true.
Wayne Rooney has described an “honest conversation” with José Mourinho that, he says, set the terms for his eventual departure from Manchester United in the summer of 2017. Rooney had first asked to leave six months earlier when he wanted to play more regularly.
Rooney recalled that by the time he turned 30 in October 2015 his level was slipping after having started regularly for club and country since the age of 17. When Mourinho arrived in 2016 and signed Zlatan Ibrahimović, Rooney recognised the changing pecking order.
“I started the season with Zlatan and I knew José only plays one up front,” he said. “In the first three or four games, he played the two of us and I knew as soon as I had a bad game that I wasn’t going to play and Zlatan was going to be the forward.” Rooney began the campaign in a supporting role behind Ibrahimović against Bournemouth, Southampton, Hull City, Manchester City and Watford.
Competition from Juan Mata for the No. 10 role, combined with Ibrahimović scoring freely as the No. 9, saw Rooney move to the bench and to an in-and-out role until Ibrahimović was injured in April. When Rooney asked Mourinho if he could go out on loan in January to get more game time, he said the manager refused but agreed he could leave in the summer.
“I went in and had an honest conversation with José and asked him if I could go on loan in January because I wanted to play and he said no. He said he needed me more so for the Europa League but I could leave in the summer,” Rooney said. “I stood up, shook his hand, didn’t complain about it again, sat on the bench and came on and played a few games from then until the end of the season. But that was an honest conversation and two men shaking hands and agreeing on something which I think is probably the right thing to do.”
Rooney shared the memory in response to Mohamed Salah’s recent comments about feeling Liverpool had thrown him under the bus following a benching. Rooney has criticised Salah this season after noting a drop in the Egyptian’s performances that led to Arne Slot benching him.
“Time catches up with all of us when you are playing and this season he hasn’t looked at his best, at his sharpest,” Rooney said. “I have been quite vocal about that over the last couple of months and clearly Arne Slot has seen that and put him on the bench.”
He added: “What you would like to think is, he is one of the main players—if not the main player—for Liverpool over the last few years and you want to see him roll his sleeves up and say, ‘Okay then, I’ll show you.’”
On accountability, Rooney concluded: “What is hard is when you get to that age, and your performances drop, you look for reasons why and the last person you look at is yourself. And I think that’s what’s happening with him.”
Analytics & Stats
Salah becomes first player with 152 goal contributions at one Premier League stadium
Salah reached 152 goal contributions at one Premier League ground, overtaking Henry and Rooney. 2026
Mohamed Salah set a new Premier League benchmark when he reached 152 goal contributions at a single stadium during Liverpool’s 4–1 thumping of Newcastle United on Saturday. That total places him ahead of the previous record of 151, which was held jointly by Thierry Henry and Wayne Rooney at Highbury and Old Trafford respectively.
Salah’s tally at that ground is compiled from 107 goals and 45 assists, producing the 152 figure that now stands alone at the top. Thierry Henry’s total there was 114 goals and 37 assists for 151, while Wayne Rooney recorded 101 goals and 50 assists for the same combined total.
Mohamed Salah
Goals 107
Assists 45
Total 152
Thierry Henry
Goals 114
Assists 37
Total 151
Wayne Rooney
Goals 101
Assists 50
Total 151
Beyond the stadium-specific milestone, Salah remains on course for other career landmarks in the Premier League. He is fourth on the all-time scoring list with 190, 18 behind Wayne Rooney’s 208 and behind Alan Shearer and Harry Kane. Whether he can move up into third depends on form and remaining fixtures: Liverpool have 14 Premier League games left and Salah has scored four goals in 16 outings this season.
Player
Goals
Alan Shearer 260
Harry Kane 213
Wayne Rooney 208
Mohamed Salah 190*
Andrew Cole 187
*stats correct as of Feb. 1, 2026
The past 18 months have been full of broken records for Salah and have strengthened his standing in Premier League history. The clock is ticking for Salah and it is not yet clear how long he has left to rack up the numbers. His current contract says 18 months but his tense relationship with manager Arne Slot may suggest otherwise.
Analytics & Stats
Salah sets unique Premier League record with 152 goal contributions at one ground
Salah reached 152 goal contributions at one ground, surpassing Henry and Rooney’s 151 totals Feb. 1.
Mohamed Salah became the first player to register 152 goal contributions at a single Premier League stadium during Liverpool’s 4–1 thumping of Newcastle United on Saturday. That total moves him past the previous high of 151, a mark held jointly by Thierry Henry and Wayne Rooney at Highbury and Old Trafford respectively.
Salah’s landmark is the product of sustained output for Liverpool over several seasons. The numbers at that ground break down as 107 goals and 45 assists, producing a combined total of 152. By comparison, Thierry Henry recorded 114 goals and 37 assists for 151, while Wayne Rooney had 101 goals and 50 assists, also 151.
Salah
Goals
Assists
Total
Mohamed Salah
107
45
152
Thierry Henry
114
37
151
Wayne Rooney
101
50
151
Beyond this stadium-specific record, Salah is also tracking career scoring milestones in the league. He sits fourth on the all-time Premier League scorers list on 190, 18 behind Wayne Rooney’s 208 return and behind Alan Shearer and Harry Kane. Whether he can climb into third remains an open question given Liverpool have 14 Premier League matches left and Salah has scored four goals in 16 appearances this season.
Player
Goals
Alan Shearer
260
Harry Kane
213
Wayne Rooney
208
Mohamed Salah
190*
Andrew Cole
187
*stats correct as of Feb. 1, 2026
The past 18 months have been full of broken records for Salah, reinforcing his standing in Premier League history. The clock is ticking for Salah and it is not yet clear how long he has left to rack up the numbers. His current contract says 18 months but his tense relationship with manager Arne Slot may suggest otherwise.
Liverpool
Slot: Liverpool Will Only Sign in January If It Fits a Longer-Term Plan
Slot: Liverpool will only act in January if transfers are smart, long-term solutions after injuries.
Liverpool face a short-term selection problem after right back Jeremie Frimpong withdrew injured during Wednesday’s Champions League win. With Conor Bradley already sidelined, manager Arne Slot warned the club will not make a kneejerk signing in the remaining days of the January window.
“We as a club always make decisions we at least think are smart decisions,” Slot explained, adding that any addition must fit beyond the immediate need. “We not only look at the short-term, we look at the long-term. It always depends on [if] there are players available that we think can help us and if they are can we afford them … and [if] it is also helpful for the longer-term future because our players come back from injury as well.”
Slot also cautioned against an overstocked roster, noting that “Having a squad with “four right backs, 12 midfielders and three or four No. 9s” is not viable.” The club already regard two of their right backs as among the best in the world, and Slot underlined that both will return to full fitness in the months ahead.
Fabrizio Romano has outlined on YouTube that preliminary market assessments, conducted after Bradley’s injury on Jan. 8, concluded there are “no good right backs” of the “level” Liverpool would demand available in this window. Time is limited: the transfer window closes at 7 p.m. GMT (2 p.m. ET) on Monday and normal fixtures continue across the weekend.
Slot was pragmatic about immediate availability. “Let’s first see how Jeremie is, maybe he is not able to play Saturday, but maybe he is able to play one or two days later,” he said. “We now go into a schedule where we have one game a week, so that would usually mean less injuries—but you are never sure.”
It is Frimpong’s fourth hamstring injury of the season. Liverpool’s automatic qualification for the Champions League round of 16 means no European matches until mid-March, allowing the squad to focus on the Premier League and FA Cup. Their only midweek fixture before March is the Feb. 11 trip to Sunderland, and the reduced schedule should provide more recovery time.
United Preparing Major Midfield Overhaul with Goretzka Among Targets
Salah becomes first player with 152 goal contributions at one Premier League stadium
