Wayne Rooney can be travel slick too… if he ends up in Chinese Super League he will have many problems to overcome

THREE games, seven days, 36 degrees and 90 per cent humidity. You just can’t prepare for that. I was 35 at the start of the week and felt 45 by the end.

This was in my New York Red Bulls days.

But I have no regrets, I loved it. I loved the whole thing about playing in the States — but it was certainly different.

He said on Thursday he will stay at Old Trafford until the end of the season — but then who knows?

Only Wayne and his family will know how close he was to leaving and what his plans are.

Whatever he decides to do, I wish him good luck.

I made my move away from Europe and to a league developing its global appeal — the MLS — when I joined the Red Bulls from Barcelona in 2010.

I actually wanted to go a year earlier — I’d even discussed it with the Red Bulls — but was talked out of it because the national team wanted me to play in the qualifiers for the 2010 World Cup.

I couldn’t do both so stayed in Spain for another season.

Wayne has a World Cup on the horizon too so that may play a part.

Anyway, I went a year later, but it wasn’t a knee-jerk decision — I had always wanted to live in the States and New York in particular.

China was never on my radar. Instead, I always knew I’d finish my career in the States.

Ever since I was a young kid, something about living in the Big Apple appealed to me.

It wasn’t about money, it was a lifestyle choice as much as anything.

I wanted to experience the combination of living in the city and playing football there.

I’d been visiting New York since 1996 — and loved the place.

I was 32 when I moved. I could have played on in Europe but I didn’t have a problem with that.

It was a good opportunity for me and therefore the right time.

I knew the standard wasn’t as high as the Premier League, for example, but that didn’t matter. It is still a really demanding league.

Because of the salary cap and the draft, it is a tough league with equal teams. It is difficult to be successful as a team or as a player.

In Europe, the bigger teams have more money than the rest, which equals more success.

But if you want to free up some cash in the MLS you have to trade a player. It was very difficult to build a team.

The conditions made it tough too.

Those three games in seven days in New York were unreal. The kicks-offs were 1pm, 2.30pm and midday. It was roasting.

We had no drinks breaks either. I aged badly that week.

Then some weeks you’d play at altitude — say in Colorado — or in Montreal where it could be really cold. Then there were the time zones, up to three hours difference.

If Wayne goes to China, I’m sure some similar problems will pop up for him.

But no one can prepare you for it. You have to experience it.

What is certain is that the Premier League would be losing one of its best ever players.

Even if you’re not a Man United fan you have to respect what he has achieved — overtaking Sir Bobby Charlton’s goals record, winning titles, the Champions League and more.

He deserves happiness — he gave a lot of happiness to football fans — apart from maybe Arsenal fans. He always seems to score against us!