The crazy summer transfer season has started, with the latest reports claiming Arsenal are ready to break the bank for Manchester United forward Wayne Rooney.

Arsene Wenger is desperate to bring in a striker who can score a minimum of 25-30 goals a season on a consistent basis with the Gunners working hard on agreeing deals for Real Madrid striker Gonzalo Higuain and Fiorentina forward Stevan Jovetic.

However, in Rooney, even if some people may have doubts, Wenger has a player who knows everything there is to know about the English Premier League and can guarantee you a lot of goals if you play him up front.

However, there are two issues which would stand in the way of Arsenal completing a staggering deal for Rooney - one United, unlike Arsenal, will not be willing to sell one of their players to a rival club, and two the wages that Rooney earn -- £250,000 a week ($378,000) - are way above Arsenal's budget.

However, the Gunners do have a lot of money to spend in the summer and the club are ready to offer Rooney a five-year deal worth £200,000 a week ($302,000) including a multi-million signing bonus, according to an exclusive in the Daily Mail.

Rooney has only two years remaining on his contract with United and if indeed Arsenal do offer this kind of money, which is again, extremely unlikely, it could tempt the 27-year-old to make a switch to a club where he would clearly be the No.1 choice.

When the Robin Van Persie to Manchester United news broke out, the majority dismissed it as mere speculation; so maybe this time it is Arsenal's turn to raid on a United player of quality.

It would be extremely ironic if Arsenal were to bring Rooney to the Emirates just 12 months after allowing their talisman Van Persie to make a switch to Old Trafford.

Stranger things have happened in the transfer market before, but if Arsenal pull off the Rooney signing, then it will be right up there with the most shocking ones.