When to sell top players?

I'm Man Utd on my current save for a bit of fun, which goes completely against my normal lower league career saves. I'm doing very well in my quest to overtake SAF's trophy haul. But I'm 7 years in and Rooney is 31 y/o he has been scoring over 50 goals a season each year but towards the end of this season he just started showing signs of slowing down. I'm thinking of selling him at the end of the year, while his value is still £25m, he is also on a massive £175,000p/w wages.

I do have some great youth players, Rooney's partner is Lukaku who is the best player in the world currently scoring for fun. I also have Neymar but find him more effective in the AML position. But I have a number of great youngsters who score a fair few when I put them in, they are not Rooney's class yet but I feel I they will step up to that class one day.

So should I sell Rooney? What do you do with your greats? Keep them on to tutor and play out thier last years before retirement or ship them out while they are still worth something?

Thanks.

I'm Man Utd on my current save for a bit of fun, which goes completely against my normal lower league career saves. I'm doing very well in my quest to overtake SAF's trophy haul. But I'm 7 years in and Rooney is 31 y/o he has been scoring over 50 goals a season each year but towards the end of this season he just started showing signs of slowing down. I'm thinking of selling him at the end of the year, while his value is still £25m, he is also on a massive £175,000p/w wages.

I do have some great youth players, Rooney's partner is Lukaku who is the best player in the world currently scoring for fun. I also have Neymar but find him more effective in the AML position. But I have a number of great youngsters who score a fair few when I put them in, they are not Rooney's class yet but I feel I they will step up to that class one day.

So should I sell Rooney? What do you do with your greats? Keep them on to tutor and play out thier last years before retirement or ship them out while they are still worth something?

Thanks.

Someone like Rooney I'd keep until he retired... same with any player that has been 10+ years at the club...

Someone like Rooney I'd keep until he retired... same with any player that has been 10+ years at the club...

But is that because of sentiment? I'm not all that sentimental with my players, if it is beneficial from a finnancial point of view and will aid the development of my young talent (by them getting in the team more), without really hurting the quality of my first 11 overall, I'm not too worried.

He is probably a very good tutor. And he could become a great coach. Other than that I see no reason to keep 31-year-olds.

See how much money someone would offer for him,for someone like Rooney, even at 30 would proble get a decent sum of money.

I normally see what each player wants to do once he retires from football,if he wants to go into coaching then I'll happily keep him till the end of his contract and then offer him a coaching role. If not then I put them up for sale and see what the best price I can get is.

32-34.....,.....

I'd keep him tbh, he's a good player even older than that on my game, and was still banging them in for England at 34. I kept Aguero and Tevez as Man City until they started showing rapid attribute decline (injuries mainly caused this). When they were out injured, a new player would step up and become good. Basically, I'd keep Rooney until he stops scoring/ gets injured. As soon as another player gets a chance and shows you that he is good, leave Rooney out to help the club move on.

But is that because of sentiment? I'm not all that sentimental with my players, if it is beneficial from a finnancial point of view and will aid the development of my young talent (by them getting in the team more), without really hurting the quality of my first 11 overall, I'm not too worried.

Not really sentiment, loyalty for one but also the fact that older players reaching the end of their career who are one club men or long-serving players are usually happy to play once in a while and tutor the younger players without giving the manager much hassle.. they retire when they realise they aren't good enough (most times) but the benefit they give your squad can be invaluable.

Another reason, and one you might not agree with, is experience... bring an old-head on at 2-1 in a rivals match whilst you're under the cosh and watch how they settle your team... I find a good centre-back or centre-mid works best

Keep him for sure. Class is permanantand he still has a few years of top level football in him.

How can you not be sentimental towards a player that has scored 50+ goals a season for the past 7 years?! I pretty much keep all players until they retire if they do well for the club. I also always try to get them on my coaching staff when they retire.

Keep him for sure. Class is permanantand he still has a few years of top level football in him.

How can you not be sentimental towards a player that has scored 50+ goals a season for the past 7 years?! I pretty much keep all players until they retire if they do well for the club. I also always try to get them on my coaching staff when they retire.

Yeah I know, it foes seem mad, but I'm just thiking lots of money, massive wage bill reduction and gives my 3 very good young strikers more game time.

The season has just finished so I'm going to wait until the end of June and test the water by offering him to clubs.

Just an update if anyone is at all interested. I sold Rooney to Barcelona for £27.5m who to be fair is still scoring heaps of goals. But on the plus side life without Rooney has been great, I am unbeaten in all competitions at Christmas which by far the best start to the season I've had in the 8 years I've had at the club.

Well played mate got a decent sum of money for him.Here's hoping that you don't get drawn against Barce in the champions league and Rooney comes back to haunt you!

Just an update if anyone is at all interested. I sold Rooney to Barcelona for £27.5m who to be fair is still scoring heaps of goals. But on the plus side life without Rooney has been great, I am unbeaten in all competitions at Christmas which by far the best start to the season I've had in the 8 years I've had at the club.

I did that but to R.Madrid for around the same fee , he sits on the bench most of the time

Just sold my club, and England, captain and striker for £18m at the age of 30 having bought him for £30m 5-6 years ago. He wanted £130k a week plus £2.3m signing on fee for a 12mth contract, having paid him a similar fee last year to sign, so i thought "blow this for a game of soldiers" when he wouldn,t accept less and offered him to clubs about 5 weeks before the winter transfer window and got rid.

He has sat in the stiffs for 5 weeks since.

I did alright out him though. He was EPL top scorer for 2-3 seasons and we won everything while he was here so a £12m drop aint to bad and his 18 year old replacement is doing ok.