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Manchester United are ready to use Wayne Rooney as a makeweight in a sensational move for Romelu Lukaku.

United boss Jose Mourinho wants Lukaku and believes Rooney could be the key to prising the Everton striker away from Chelsea’s clutches.

Everton chairman Bill Kenwright held talks with Rooney’s adviser Paul Stretford yesterday in London.

Kenwright is desperate to see Rooney back in an Everton shirt, 13 years after sanctioning the England star’s controversial £27m transfer to United.

Everton value Lukaku at a world record £100 million and Chelsea have been in pole position to land him but have yet to make a firm bid because of the uncertainty surrounding Diego Costa.

But Everton are unwilling to shatter their pay structure to land Rooney, which is why they want United to subsidise more than half of his huge salary.

(Image: Alex Morton - The FA) (Image: paulpogba/Instagram) (Image: paulpogba/Instagram)

United are likely to have to pay around £180,000 of Rooney’s weekly wage next season for the Everton deal to go ahead, meaning a whopping payout of £9.36m.

United boss Jose Mourinho returns for pre-season tomorrow and is said to be surprised Rooney’s future remains unresolved.

The United boss made it clear in January he wouldn’t stand in the way of Rooney’s exit. He was led to believe the Rooney’s transfer would be concluded before the squad returned for pre-season training.

And Mourinho also wants United to be more positive in recruiting his targets.

(Image: John Nguyen/JNVisuals)

United fly to Los Angeles for the start of their US tour on Sunday, with Rooney currently set to be included in their squad.

But if a deal with Everton is close by the weekend, Rooney will not be on the plane his glittering 13-year United career over.

United’s move for Real Madrid striker Alvaro Morata has stalled and that has opened the door for Lukaku’srecruitment..

Mourinho had Lukaku at Chelsea and, despite a falling out and farming him out on loan, the pair are understood to have resolved any differences and have both publicly said there is no issue.

(Image: AFP)

Mourinho wants to increase United’s striker options. With Rooney heading through the exit United are left with

Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford as senior strikers.

Lukaku’s agent Mino Riola also has a strong link at United after taking Paul Pogba and Zlatan Ibrahimovic to Old Trafford last summer.

Lukaku is just the sort of powerful striker that United want even though it would infuriate Chelsea boss Antonio Conte who is desperate to land the Belgium centre forward.

(Image: Rex Features)

Chelsea are still struggling to offload Costa before they can move for Lukaku with the Spain international wanting to return to Atletico Madrid but they are under a transfer ban until January.

One option that Atletico are exploring is to sign Costa and then loan him out until January and it is understood a Chinese club are keen on taking him.

Mega rich Tianjian Quanjian made a stunning £76m offer to sign him in January and again at the end of the season but Costa is not keen on a permanent move to the Far East.