Wayne Rooney "turned down the chance to join" Chinese Super League side Beijing Guoan in the summer, after his agent Paul Stretford met representatives, according to the Chinese club’s honorary chair. Rooney is the subject of "continuing interest from China’s Super League and Guoan tried to tempt" the ManU captain to leave three years before the end of a contract worth up to £300,000 ($373,000) a week. Beijing Guoan Honorary Chair Luo Ning said, "We indeed made an approach for Rooney at the beginning of the season but he’s informed us that he wants to stay in Manchester United." Despite the interest of China and clubs in Asia and the Middle East, Rooney is "determined to see out his contract" at ManU and would be open to a further deal (London GUARDIAN, 11/9).
CLUB AUDIT: Corporate watchdog Australian Securities & Investments Commission is investigating Super Rugby side ACT Brumbies "on the advice of police." ACT Policing referred the club to ASIC to "investigate unidentified potential breaches." Last year, the Brumbies and the Australian Rugby Union referred to police details of the club's controversial sale of its Griffith HQ and subsequent move to the University of Canberra after uncovering "anomalies" in transactions. A spokesperson said that police had "finished assessing the report." The spokesperson said, "During the assessment, ACT Policing identified matters for the consideration of the Australian Securities and Investments Commission" (CANBERRA TIMES, 11/9).
PAY-OFF: Scottish Premiership side Rangers "could bring an end to the Joey Barton saga sooner rather than later" as the midfielder edges toward the Ibrox exit door. Barton’s representatives have held discussions with club chiefs "over a pay-off that will see the 34-year-old quit the club after just eight appearances." The Englishman penned a two-year deal worth around £20,000 ($24,860) per week "when he became the highest profile signing of the summer in Scottish football" (HERALD SCOTLAND, 11/8).
