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Wayne Rooney 'a very important player' for Man United - Jose Mourinho

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has not ruled out Wayne Rooney staying at the club, saying the striker is "a very important player for us."

Rooney, 31, is contracted to United until 2019 but it has been speculated he could move away from Old Trafford this summer, after making 15 Premier League starts this season.

The England international came on as a late substitute on Wednesday night as United beat Ajax 2-0 in the Europa League final to book their place in next season's Champions League.

"Wayne was ready to play, was a big option," Mourinho said. "But the game was in the pocket so when you have 2-0 you have to control the game, you have to delay the changes, you have to bring players step by step, try to give a bit more. At that moment, I don't need. But Wayne was ready, and yesterday we were speaking and I was telling him that probably he could be crucial man of the match because he was ready.

"I told him and he knows that it's true. At this moment, he's in the best moment during the season. He can perfectly be here next season because he is always a very important player for us. If he stays with us next season, I'm more than happy with that."

As for Man United's summer dealings in the transfer market, one in which Mourinho and the club are expected to be very active, the manager said that CEO Ed Woodward knew what players he wanted and has for some time already.

"[Agents] don't have my number," Mourinho said. "Doesn't matter if it's Champions [League] or not. Ed Woodward has what I want, what I would like, for more than two months. So now it's for him, it's for the owners, it's for the people that work him and I just wait -- but I don't care about football now."