Wayne Rooney has had one training session with José Mourinho but already believes Manchester United’s manager can make them serious challengers for major honours again.
Rooney was speaking at a sponsors’ event in Shanghai at the start of United’s two-game tour of China. “I’ve only had one day (training with Mourinho) since we came out, but it was a very good day, the training session,” he said. “But I think you only have to look at the teams he’s had before and the success he’s had with them, and we’re hoping he can bring that to us.
“I’m excited. It’s a big season for us. The appointment of José Mourinho is a big appointment and we’re all excited. We’ve made some fantastic signings too. Hopefully we can have a good start to the season and be successful by the end of it.”
Mourinho has signed Eric Bailly, Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Zlatan Ibrahimovic. The latter two have added competition in the forward positions and Rooney knows he is under pressure for his position in the coming season.
“I think you always feel pressure when you play for Manchester United. It’s one of the biggest – if not the biggest – clubs in the world and it’s been a pleasure and a privilege to play for them for so long. You always feel you have to prove yourself every season, because it’s a dream to play for them,” the England captain said.
Rooney had a poor Euro 2016 campaign, though Mourinho has made it clear he will not play the 30-year-old in a midfield role, which was the case under Louis van Gaal and the former England manager, Roy Hodgson.
United play Borussia Dortmund in Shanghai tomorrow, then face Manchester City in Beijing on Monday. “I haven’t been to Shanghai before, so I’m looking forward to it,” Rooney said. “It’s always great, the support we get is always fantastic. I’m sure it’ll be a good week.”
Michael Carrick, the club’s second longest-serving player behind Rooney, said: “This time of year, individually and as a team, it’s important to get yourselves ready. You want to get back in the habit of doing the right things and getting in the rhythm and routine again and feeling your way back into it.
“Everyone does that in different ways. Some are right on it at the start of pre-season and for others it takes a bit longer. It’s about being ready for the start of the season, that’s the most important thing.
“It’s good that we can go and see our fans all around the world. This year it’s China with two big games so we’re all looking forward to it.
“You want to win the games too and get positive feelings again and carry that right through pre-season.
“There’s a variety of things that you gain from going on these trips. The quality of the opposition is very high, so that will test us, and it’s a good chance to get to know the new signings and the manager.”

Juve reject United’s opening offer for Pogba
Juventus have rejected Manchester United’s first offer for Paul Pogba worth a total of £100mn with £13mn of that in performance-related add-ons. The Serie A club want United to pay £100mn with a further £8mn in add-ons, which would make the Frenchman the most expensive player ever.
Manchester United’s executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward met Juventus directors Giuseppe Marotta and Fabio Paratici as well as the player’s agent, Mino Raiola, on Tuesday to discuss a possible transfer but was told that the opening bid fell short of what Juventus wanted for the player.
It was not all bad news for Manchester United, however, as Raiola told Juventus officials that he now wants to bring Pogba to the Premier League. Raiola has already overseen the transfers of two of his players, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Henrikh Mkhitaryan, to United this summer.
Furthermore, Raiola has already agreed a fee with United for bringing back the 23-year-old to the club he left in 2012 and the player is ready to accept United’s contract offer of £250,000 a week for five years.
Pogba himself is understood to be relaxed about his position as he would accept a move to United but would also be happy to stay at his current club.
More talks are scheduled between the parties and United now have to decide whether they want to spend a world record fee for the midfielder, who has won four Serie A titles in four years with Juventus and reached the 2015 Champions League final with the club.
Real Madrid are the only other club the player could join, although the Spanish club’s manager, Zinedine Zidane, admitted earlier this week that he is happy with his current squad.
“Do I like Pogba? Of course, he’s a very good player and every club wants the best players but right now he’s at Juve and we have a large squad already,” Zidane said.
“There are still lots of players yet to join up with the squad and with the Euros going on we couldn’t do anything. We have three games coming up and that’s the focus at the moment.”
United manager, José Mourinho, is desperate for the club to seal the deal to add to the summer signings of Ibrahimovic, Mkhitaryan and Eric Bailly.