Chelsea may be forced to go higher than they paid Liverpool for Fernando Torres to land Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney. The Mirror says Chelsea had a second bid turned down at the weekend and are preparing a third offer, but with United loathe to sell to one of their direct rivals for the title, the Londoners may have to break their own transfer record to get him.

David Moyes will make it as tough as possible for opposite number Jose Mourinho to prise Rooney out of Old Trafford - starting with a prohibitive price tag above the £50m Chelsea paid Liverpool for Fernando Torres two years ago.