Following rumours about his future over the past week, Wayne Rooney yesterday took to twitter to announce that he had no intention of leaving Old Trafford. Manchester United have now confirmed their stance on the matter, with chief executive David Gill stating that the former Everton player is not for sale at any price.
After failing to earn a starting place in United’s last game before then incurring another serious injury, several newspapers started to report that United were growing sick and tired of their 26-year-old striker and were looking to move him on at the earliest opportunity. Some claimed that the club were even seeking £50m for Rooney, who would no doubt have a whole host of suitors considering his reputation through world football.
However, after Rooney himself denied the reports, United have now issued comments of their own. When questioned about the matter, Gill stated, “Wayne is definitely not for sale and I can categorically say there has been no discussion within the club or with his agent. He is in a long-term contract with us and is very integral to our team. Wayne’s a great player who has got a bad injury — but he will come back. He didn’t start on Saturday for various reasons. Alex Ferguson picks the best team to win the game and that’s it.”
While United might be adamant about Rooney’s future, one of his fellow strikers looks set for the Old Trafford exit. It was only last week that Dimitar Berbatov seemed certain to complete a move to Italian outfit Fiorentina, but it has now come to light that this deal has collapsed and the Bulgarian will instead be joining Fulham. It is not yet known how much the Cottagers will pay for the 31-year-old, although some sources have indicated he will cost between £3m and £5m.