Wayne Rooney has returned to Manchester United training ahead of today’s Europa League game against Saint-Etienne.

The United captain has been sidelined recently with a muscular injury and hasn’t played since the 0-0 Premier League draw with Hull on February 1.

However, he appears to be back in first-team contention after being photographed at Carrington on Tuesday morning.

*Rooney

Rooney has found himself on the fringes of United’s team for the majority of this season, with new signings Paul Pogba, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Henrikh Mkhitaryan edging him out of the starting XI.

A lucrative move to the Chinese Super League has been mooted but Rooney has been urged to stay in England by ex-United player Paul Parker – even if it means leaving United to join a lesser Premier League club.

“I would like to think Wayne doesn’t want to sit on the bench because after being successful and winning things then sitting and watching it is an awful feeling,” Parker said, speaking exclusively to 888sport.

“Does he want to stay at Manchester United and get the odd opportunity to make his [goalscoring] record even harder to beat or is he saying that he wants regular football?

“Seeing the calibre of players who have gone out to China it’s never too early and we know the reasons why.