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WAYNE Rooney’s future will be decided this week as he finally sits down with new Manchester United manager David Moyes to discuss whether his nine-year stay at the club is over. Rooney’s situation will dominate Moyes’s first week of work – he officially starts at Old Trafford today – with Arsenal ready to make a £20 million bid for the striker and Chelsea also interested.
Rooney is said to be approaching the talks positively and is keen to start afresh with the new manager after his relationship with Sir Alex Ferguson soured last season, culminating in the former manager saying Rooney had asked to leave the club.
Rooney’s camp have denied this and the player himself is keen for the club to make it public that he never submitted an official transfer request, something Rooney feels could ruin his relationship with fans.
But Moyes will want to ensure that, if the player does not buy into his plans, they can come up with an exit strategy that avoids the acrimony that marred the end of their relationship at Goodison Park.
Moyes sued Rooney for damages following allegations made in the player’s autobiography after he was sold to United in 2004.
Nemanja Vidic, Nani and Monaco target Patrice Evra are all set to leave United this summer as Moyes shows he will be his own man after 26 years of Ferguson’s rule at Old Trafford, but Rooney’s potential departure would be the most complicated to sort out.
He has two years left on a £200 000-a-week contract and United will make it clear that any new offer from them would be on reduced terms.
He would prefer a move to Chelsea, but that is something United would be reluctant to sanction given they are likely to be title rivals next season.
French champions Paris Saint-Germain would meet United’s £30m asking price, but Rooney is reluctant to move there with his young family.—Sportsmail
Online Reporter
derick.khumalo