Rooney wants to stay

 

Trafford. Rooney is demanding an apology from Manchester United for Sir Alex Ferguson’s parting shot at the striker. Rooney’s Old Trafford future ­hinges on a ­meeting with club chiefs this week where the angry 27-year-old will insist that United made it clear to supporters that he did not hand in a transfer request at the end of last season.

The England star feels betrayed by Ferguson who, after his Old Trafford farewell against Swansea last month, ­announced publicly Rooney had asked for a move. United accept that the England star did not hand in a transfer request and that could clear the way for a kiss-and-make-up that will keep him in Manchester.

Rooney’s message will be that he believes Ferguson’s retirement can give him a new lease of life at the club he has now served for nine years.
He will make it clear to Moyes that at no time towards the end of last season did he tell ­Ferguson that he wanted a transfer.

Rooney did harbour some frustration about his constantly changing role in the team following Robin van Persie’s arrival at the club.
But he feels that his message to Fergie was misunderstood and that he has no desire to leave United.

Moyes will then be faced with the first major decision of his United reign — whether to accept Rooney’s explanation or to agree with Fergie that he time is ripe to cash in on a player who is nearing his 28th birthday and two years left on his contract.

Moyes’ six-year contract doesn’t start until next ­Monday, but he has made ­deciding the future of Rooney his top priority.
For Rooney to have formally asked to go he would have had to put his request in writing — a move which would have meant giving up a percentage of the transfer fee   and no such letter was ever drafted.

But United will have to make a public climbdown if they want to keep the 27-year-old striker, who is adamant he won’t be made a scapegoat.
Rooney’s camp are still fuming at Ferguson’s public outburst. And the backlash from United fans since Fergie’s claims has only hardened Rooney’s resolve to set the record straight.

With Arsenal, Chelsea, PSG and Real Madrid monitoring the player’s next move, new United boss Moyes faces a major headache when he arrives back from holiday this week. — The Mirror.