Thursday 11 May 2017 13:27, UK
Wayne Rooney needs to leave Manchester United this summer in order to rediscover his form, according to Matt Le Tissier.
The 31-year-old has managed just four Premier League goals in 22 appearances (12 starts) for Manchester United this season, and is on course for his lowest scoring season in the top flight since 2002/03 when he managed six for Everton.
The United captain saw his run of 11 consecutive campaigns with double figures for Premier League goals ended last season when he scored just eight, and Le Tissier believes Rooney is a player ill-suited to the peripheral role he has found himself in under Mourinho.
When asked if he believes Rooney will be at Old Trafford next season, Le Tissier told Premier League Daily: "I would be surprised. I really would.
"He is only 31 years of age. He is not a regular starter. This season he has had 12 Premier League starts.
"I appreciate some games he has missed because of injury but there have been a lot where he has been on the bench and he has made quite a few substitute appearances.
"For somebody like him, I think he would want to go somewhere where he will be starting week in and week out.
"He is the type of player who needs that. If you are just playing him sporadically, I don't think you see the best of him. He is one of those players that needs to play on a regular basis to get the best out of him."
Manchester United host Celta Vigo in the second leg of their Europa League semi-final on Thursday night and will be looking to protect their 1-0 advantage from the first leg in Spain.
Mourinho's side then travel to White Hart Lane on Sunday to take on Tottenham, live on Sky Sports 1 HD.
Mourinho has already stated his intention to prioritise the Europa League final - should his team qualify - over the club's remaining Premier League games, with United four points adrift of fourth-placed Manchester City.
Le Tissier believes it does not sit well with Mourinho to be so far off the pace in the league and thinks he may have underestimated the size of the task of turning United's fortunes around.
"It has been a frustrating time for him," Le Tissier added. "He has perhaps gone in there and realised that maybe they are not as good as he thought they were or as good as he thought they were going to be.
"He seems to have struggled to cope with the fact that they are not challenging at the top of the table.
"He perhaps wasn't expecting that this season but when you look at the outlay and the transfers that he brought in, you would have expected United to be closer to Chelsea.
"It is 19 points I think so that is tough for him to take. That has taken its toll on him personally."
