Mourinho: I want Rooney to stay next season

If it were up to Jose Mourinho, record Manchester United scorer Wayne Rooney would "100 percent" remain with the club next season.

The 31-year-old squashed speculation last month linking him with a lucrative move to China, declaring he has no desire to leave Old Trafford this season.

While his immediate future with the club is clear - the Chinese transfer window has now shut - Rooney's long-term outlook is less so.

Everton has once again emerged as potential destination for the Scouser, with manager Ronald Koeman showing public interest in bringing Rooney back to his childhood club for the 2017-18 campaign.

But Mourinho is having none of it.

"Until the end of season, 100 percent he is with us. Next season, 100 percent I'd like him to be with us, but I don't give you 100 percent, as always the player is very important," the Portuguese said Friday, according to Sky Sports' Michael Kelleher.

To underline Rooney's continuing importance to the squad, Mourinho revealed that the long-time United captain had been ready to sub into last weekend's EFL Cup final before Zlatan Ibrahimovic headed in the title-winning goal.

"So Wayne Rooney to Everton, I can only that in the final with the result at 2-2, with the team in difficulties, with the team possibly going to play 40 more minutes, Rooney was ready to go into the pitch. So he is not the player you play in the last minute, not the player to give him a gift to be in the winning final; he is a player you trust and are probably going to make him your crucial change, the last one," Mourinho elaborated.

Rooney will have a chance to make his first Premier League start since Dec. 17 when United hosts Bournemouth on Saturday.