Jose Mourinho is weighing up whether to start Wayne Rooney in the League Cup final against Saints after the Manchester United ended speculation about his immediate future.

Talk had been growing over the 31-year-old making an Old Trafford exit, with his agent Paul Stretford understood to have been in China this week speaking to interested clubs.

However, Rooney put to bed speculation regarding his future for the rest of the campaign on Thursday, confirming he was staying at Old Trafford in a statement released to Press Association Sport.

United boss Mourinho was pleased by the content and timing of the statement from Rooney, who will be in the squad for Sunday's EFL Cup final against Saints despite a recent hamstring injury and dropping down the pecking order.

United's all-time top scorer may even start at Wembley after in-form Henrikh Mkhitaryan sustained a hamstring issue of his own.

"I have to make a decision," Mourinho said. "You know that we normally play two different systems - sometimes we play with two midfield players and a number 10 if you want to call it (that).

"Sometimes we play with a number six and two midfield players in front.

"Without Mkhitaryan, if we want to play with a number 10, obviously Wayne, it's his position, it's where he was playing with us many matches, so he is an option for me.

"A final is a special match and he is an option for me."

Asked if sentiment comes into his team selection, Mourinho said: "It's the best 11 players. We win all together, it doesn't matter if you don't play much. I go for the best possible team."

Michael Carrick is available to the United boss and Phil Jones could return from a foot injury at Wembley.