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Manchester United manager David Moyes yesterday avoided talking about the burning question of Wayne Rooney’s playing future, but club legend Bryan Robson insisted the star striker was “not for sale”. |
Moyes, preparing the Red Devils for tomorrow’s pre-season match against Australia’s A-League All Stars, remained tight-lipped about the Rooney transfer speculation at an official team lunch in Sydney.
Jose Mourinho has launched his new reign at Chelsea with a sensational offer for Rooney, saying in Bangkok where his team is on tour that the bid, for a reported 10 million pounds (11.5 million euros, $15.1 million), was “clean” and “ethical”.
But United’s longest-serving captain said the club was firm in its refusal to part ways with Rooney, who is back in England after leaving the Red Devils in Bangkok with a hamstring injury just a few hours into their pre-season tour.
“David Moyes has said Wayne Rooney is not for sale. As far as we’re concerned, that’s the end of it,” Robson told reporters in Sydney, where he is accompanying the team.
The former England midfielder added that the ongoing speculation about Rooney had not distracted the team from their pre-season preparations.
“They’re getting on with training. Unfortunately Wayne got the hamstring strain, which he didn’t want—you don’t want any of your top players out at this stage of the pre-season. But it hasn’t been a disruption to the other boys,” he said. Former United strikers Andy Cole and Dwight Yorke, also accompanying the Red Devils in Australia, said they want Rooney to stay at Old Trafford. “I’d love him to stay—and I think everyone wants him to stay,” Cole said.
“But now we’re going to get asked this question again and again until it’s resolved. Wayne is a fantastic player, and we’re all hoping he stays. Every Manchester United supporter hopes he’ll be at Old Trafford next season.”
Despite the rising swell of talk about a transfer away, Yorke believes Rooney will see out his contract under Moyes.
“There’s nothing to feel bad about—except that he’s not here in Australia and had to go home and get treatment for his injury,” he said.
“We all know the speculation, we all know the talk, and that’s what happens when you’re a big player. But I believe he’ll be a Manchester United player for the next two years.”
Man U face toughest ever start to season: Ferdinand
Rio Ferdinand believes Manchester United are facing their toughest ever start to a Premier League season, with the fixtures computer pitting them against Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester City among their first five games.
The champions get their title defence underway in Swansea on August 17 with Chelsea and Liverpool next in line. Newly promoted Crystal Palace face a daunting task at Old Trafford after that with the Manchester derby set for September 22.
“It focuses us, definitely,” Ferdinand, who recently signed a one-year contract extension, told the club’s website during their pre-season tour in Sydney. “There’s no easing our way into the league this year. We’ve got to be ready to go from the off.
“We’ve got some big games in there but Swansea away is a really tough place to start. We’ve got to make sure we’re ready for the start of the season because our first five games are probably the toughest that I’ve ever seen.”
United could start the campaign without Wayne Rooney, who is reportedly “angry and confused” at comments from new boss David Moyes suggesting that he would play second fiddle to Robin van Persie this season.
Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho confirmed in Bangkok on Wednesday that the London club had made a bid for Rooney, although British news reports said United had turned down the offer.
Ferdinand did not address the Rooney situation but said that with Moyes on board after Alex Ferguson’s retirement, everyone had to fight for their place. “With a new manager coming in, we’re going to be focused anyway, with people looking to prove themselves and places up for grabs,” he said.