How much would Rooney actually cost at £30m?

It's difficult to know what's real and what isn't at this time of year. It's especially difficult when the Daily Mail are involved (remember the Juan Mata or David Luiz plus £10 million bid? Yeah). But let's entertain what they have to say and draw our own conclusions.

The paper is reporting that Wayne Rooney is open to a move to Arsenal should Manchester United refuse to sell to Chelsea. That's almost a given, seeing that Rooney seems intent on getting the heck out of town. Of rather more interest, so far as Chelsea are concerned, is the claim that the Blues have set a maximum on Rooney's transfer fee: £30 million.

Let's play with that number. Rooney's making £250,000 a week, but the Times have reported that he'd be willing to take a pay cut to £200,000 a week to move to Chelsea. If so, he would cost the Blues £10.4 million a season in wages, bringing the total expense to £71 million (£18 million per year) for a four year deal or £82 million (£16 million per year) on a five year deal.

Are we comfortable with those sorts of numbers? I don't think I am -- that's an almost Torresian commitment to a player whose world-classness is in some doubt. Chelsea have a much better idea of acceptable finances than I do, but setting a cap at £30 million? I'd walk away at barely half of that. After merrily trolling United, of course.