Wayne Rooney: Manchester United striker should stay at Old Trafford, says Phil Neville

Wayne Rooney should stay at Manchester United and work to reclaim his place in Jose Mourinho's starting XI, says former team-mate Phil Neville.

Rooney's representatives have spoken to Chinese Super League club Tianjin Quanjian but talks did not progress.

However, the 31-year-old England captain's departure in the summer is looking increasingly likely.

"He's not in the team, but he shouldn't write off his United career," ex-Reds defender Neville told BBC Radio 5 live.

"I don't see Wayne Rooney playing football in China, I really don't.

"He's a home bird. I think he likes living in the north-west, and I can't see him taking his young family out to live in China. Yes, it's for vast amounts of money, but I just don't see it at all."

United's record goalscorer, who joined the Old Trafford club in 2004, has scored five goals in 29 appearances for the Reds this season, providing 10 assists.

He has started only three games since 17 December and was left out of the squad for Wednesday's Europa League match at Saint-Etienne because he has just returned to training after a hamstring strain.

United beat the French club 1-0 to seal a 4-0 aggregate win and book their place in the last 16. They next play Southampton in the EFL Cup final at Wembley on Sunday.

"I'm not going to give Rooney advice, but what I would say to him is: 'Stick it out at Manchester United,'" said Neville, who won 10 major trophies with United between 1995 and 2005.

"At the moment, he's not in the team and has got a slight knock but Henrikh Mkhitaryan has gone off injured tonight.

"You never know, he could come on in the final on Sunday and make a massive impact, score, and then finish the season so well, you've seen it so many times."

Earlier this week Mourinho refused to give any guarantees about whether Rooney would still be at the club after the Chinese transfer window closes on 28 February.

But the BBC's Simon Stone said the expectation is that Rooney will stay for the rest of the season.