Jose Mourinho has confirmed that Manchester United captain Wayne Rooney will not play in a midfield role for the club. The 30-year-old had recently played in central midfield for England at Euro 2016, and also dropped further back into the middle under former United boss Louis van Gaal.

Rooney had a host of good reviews after his midfield performances, and admitted that he had always expected to become a midfielder in his later years and was hoping to emulate United great Paul Scholes.

“I’ve known for a few years [I would play in midfield].” said Rooney.

“I have played and watched Paul Scholes play that role for years and I always knew that one day that is where I would play, so I have tried to learn and watch what he did. It is still early days, but hopefully, if I keep playing there, I can develop and get better.”

However new manager Jose Mourinho is adamant that Rooney is a goalscorer and is a natural at doing so, to play him in midfield would be a waste.

Speaking in his first news conference as United boss, the Portuguese said: “Maybe he is not a No 9 anymore but he will never, with me, be a No 6. He will never be 50 metres from the goal.”

“For me, he will be a No 9 or a No 10, or a number nine-and-a-half, but with me he will never be a No 6, not even a No 8.”

“In football, there are many jobs on the field. The one that is more difficult to find is the one who puts the ball in the net.”

“Players change their characteristics with age, so it’s normal that they change a little bit.”

“But the natural appetite to put the ball in the net never changes.”

[Quotes from Sky Sports]

Rooney netted 15 times last season for United, and with competition from Martial, Rashford and Ibrahimovic it is difficult to see where the No.10 will feature.