Wayne Rooney's Manchester United career appears over after the striker told David Moyes he is "angry and confused" about the manager's statement that he is now second choice to Robin van Persie.

With it being understood that Rooney had long-standing issues with Sir Alex Ferguson, the Scot's predecessor, and now Moyes over their stance regarding his fallen status, there seems little way back for the striker at United.

According to sources close to the player, Rooney is fuming after Moyes stated that "overall my thought on Wayne is, if for any reason we had an injury to Robin van Persie, we'll need him", with the 27-year-old also unhappy at statements from Ed Woodward, the executive vice-president. Rooney has entered the final two years of his contract but Woodward said that United would not "be afraid to run a contract down".

United refused to comment on Rooney's anger, though their official position remains that he is not for sale. Despite that, the remark from Woodward effectively signalled that serious offers for the England international would be considered this summer as the club's policy is always to open talks on a new deal for anyone in the Liverpudlian's contractual situation to protect that player's value.

Chelsea head the list of potential destinations. Arsenal are the only club to have made a formal bid but Rooney would hope to join a team that would seriously challenge for honours so he may yet move abroad, where Paris Saint-Germain retain an interest.

According to the sources, Rooney believes he is at the peak of his career and is clear that he will not countenance becoming a squad player under Moyes which would allow his career to slide in the season in which England hope to qualify for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

Rooney's further view, it is understood, is that he has nothing to prove at United after nine successful years there but feels he has now been put on trial by Moyes. This comes after the Scot said: "It's going to be a time to see how I work with Wayne. Maybe in a year's time we might have to look at something else. The first year I have to get a chance to see the players and how best to use them. I've got to ensure it's not just him and we don't concentrate on him. Manchester United isn't about Wayne; Manchester United is about the team, the club."

All this moved Rooney to call Moyes this week to let him know his discontent at the manager's and Woodward's stance. With Rooney's long-running unhappiness with Ferguson followed by this schism with Moyes and the club, it would be a major surprise if he plays for United again.

Rooney's issues at United derive in part from last season when Ferguson failed to select him regularly, played him out of position and then stated the forward had made a transfer request. United now accept the latter did not happen but the claim from Ferguson has left Rooney particularly unhappy.

Neither United nor Rooney are currently willing to voice publicly that he will leave. For the club this is because they wish to retain his highest transfer price, while Rooney does not wish to concede any bonuses or other monies by making a formal transfer request.

Yet each party's desire to move on means pragmatism will ultimately reign and Rooney is almost certain to depart before the end of the summer transfer window.

Chelsea's interest was signalled again by their manager, José Mourinho, in Bangkok on Friday. He said: "He's a player that I like very much. Being fast and direct I like him very much but he's a Manchester United player."

Mourinho has subsequently sent another clear message to Rooney in a BBC interview, saying: "If Wayne is second-choice at Man United, then the national team will be affected."

One stumbling block may be whether Moyes would want to sell to a serious rival and face the prospect of a reinvigorated Rooney preventing United from retaining the title in the Scot's debut season as manager.

Barcelona, meanwhile, are willing to sell Cesc Fábregas to United because the Spanish champions need the money, according to a highly placed source in Spain.

Although United have yet to hear back from Barcelona regarding their £26m bid, they believe Fábregas wants to leave Camp Nou owing to a number of factors that have made the midfielder discontented since joining from Arsenal in the summer of 2011. Those include Neymar's arrival pushing him down the pecking order.