By JAKE RYAN
SUPER-RICH Anzhi Makhachkala plan to stun the Premier League by making a mega bid for Wayne Rooney.
A rare Stewart Downing goal floored the Russians at Anfield in the Europa League last night.
But that will not stop them trying to make the Manchester United and England star the world’s top-paid player.
Anzhi want to link Rooney, 27, with Cameroon striker Samuel Eto’o — currently their top earner on £350,000 a week.
But any offer to Roo would eclipse that.
Asked if Anzhi might sign Rooney, team director Roberto Carlos said: “Why not? He’s one of the best players in the world and any team would be happy to have him in their squad. He’s still a very young player.
“Of course, I could not say when and if it will happen. It’s not only Anzhi who want to buy him. There are plenty of teams in Italy and Spain, all over the world, eager to have a player like Rooney.”
Rooney would also be linking up with ex-Chelsea chief Guus Hiddink, who joined Anzhi this season and has guided them to the top of the Russian Premier Division.
Anzhi are bankrolled by billionaire Suleyman Kerimov, who is worth £4billion. Kerimov has already splashed his cash on Christopher Samba, Lassana Diarra and Eto’o since buying the club in January 2011.
Carlos added: “If the owner has a wish to buy somebody, he will go and do it.
“But we are trying to change the image of the club. It is not just about money.”
The Dagestan side train near Moscow and make a 2,000-mile round trip for home games.
They are currently banned from playing Europa League matches in Makhachkala, as UEFA rate it too dangerous.
Kop boss Brendan Rodgers was delighted with three more Euro points — the perfect lift for this weekend’s Merseyside derby.
He said: “Great credit goes to the players. To be fair, I haven’t been thinking about the derby. Our squad is so small, it is just one game at a time.
“Stewart Downing has great technique with either foot and his strike was magnificent.”
