Jose Mourinho has confirmed that Wayne Rooney is not in Manchester United's squad for their Europa League quarter-final clash against Anderlecht on Thursday.
The 31-year-old has struggled with injuries and illness in 2017, picking up three knocks in as many months, but had reportedly recovered from his most recent ankle trouble.
Rooney trained with the rest of the squad at Carrington on Wednesday morning and was assessed during and after the session, but has not travelled to Belgium.
Mourinho admitted that the club captain is not happy with his fitness and he will rest the player with a view to utilising him against Chelsea at the weekend or possibly the following week.
He told Sky Sports News: "He's not confident, he's not happy, he has bad feelings with his ankle and is not ready to play. Let's see for the weekend or for the next week.
"We don't have many players. We need everyone with the minimum of conditions to play - to try and be available - but for tomorrow, no."
United's all-time leading goalscorer is contracted to the club until 2019 but has made just one Premier League start this year.
Giuseppe Labellarte
