If Wayne Rooney wants to leave Manchester United, he’ll have to submit a formal transfer request, otherwise the club will continue to consider him as a prized asset of with whom they do not intend to part ways with. Yesterday it was claimed that Rooney had made clear to David Moyes and the club that he demanded an apology from Sir Alex Ferguson as he wanted United to clarify that he had never submitted a transfer request, but now Rooney could find himself with his back up against the wall.
Rooney and David Moyes were scheduled to have a meeting yesterday, with the morning papers divided as to whether the meeting actually took place or not, while they’re almost unanimous in reporting that United don’t consider the United striker’s a case that needs to be resolved swiftly.
The Guardian reports that Moyes has no intention whatsoever of selling the 27-year-old but Rooney “having aired his grievances to Moyes around a month ago, now wants to hear how the Scot views his prospective role in the side” while the Daily Mail also claims that the striker will have to submit a transfer request if he wants to bring an end to his Old Trafford career.
The Mirror is also of the idea that the long awaited meeting between Moyes and Rooney did not take place, but it also reports that former United defender Gerard Pique would be more than happy to be reunited with his former team-mate at Barcelona where, according to the Spanish centre-back, Rooney “would fit well”.
“He can adapt to many positions. He’s best as the centre-forward, but we have even seen him on left or right side.
“He is very versatile, strong, fast, has great technique. I don’t think he would have any problems adapting,” said Pique of his former team-mate.
Elsewhere, the Independent believes that while United might not be in a rush to sell Rooney just yet, his contract could be a turning point in the deal for, while Rooney’s camp is likely to demand a new contract, “after a season in which Rooney failed to hold down a regular place as a striker and was inconsistent, it will be difficult for United to justify offering him the same £250,000 a week.”
The Sun does little to corroborate the hypothesis of being at United next season, citing a unspecified source, according to whom “This is not like the last time. Then United did everything to keep him. This time he is not the same player and a lot of people are starting to lose patience.”
Furthermore, according to the tabloid, “David Moyes will assess the player’s fitness, attitude and application during a punishing five-match pre-season tour of Australia and the Far East.” Should Moyes decide to analyse Rooney’s fitness and attitude during the pre-season tour as reported, that would leave United with a potentially even bigger issue, as they might be forced into a rush-sale, if they indeed decided to get rid of Rooney.
A player who seems increasingly unlikely to be joining United’s pre-season tour is Leighton Baines who, as widely reported by pretty much every newspaper, has been described as an Everton icon by Roberto Martinez.
“I think Leighton is more than a player – he is an icon. He represents a lot about our football club and I am really, really excited about working with him,” said the Spaniard, as Everton have allegedly told United that they do intend to sell the England left-back even if presented with a £20m offer, claims the Mirror.
Elsewhere, the Mail reports that Roma are considering making a £12m offer for Nani who, according to the paper, doesn’t feature in David Moyes’ plans.
