Man Utd Transfers: Wayne Rooney's Old Trafford Future Looking Bleak
The Guardian, former PSG director Michel Moulin said: "I announce to you from trusted sources: Rooney to PSG is done. He will be there next season." PSG coach Carlo Ancelloti told reporters that it would be impossible to sign Rooney because United would not sell, however recent weeks have shown that the ex-Everton forward is no longer an integral part of the Red Devils starting XI. The most worrying sign for Englands talisman was the selection of Danny Welbeck over Rooney for the crunch second leg tie against Real Madrid. It was thought that Welbeck offered more to the team in a defensive sense, covering and tracking back and helping to negate the threat of Xabi Alonso. However, was this not one of Rooneys perceived strengths? How he would chase back, popping up in the right back area, covering a team mate who had ventured further upfield. Was Rooney not once thought of as the perfect combination of English grit and determination with continentalstyle technique? Being usurped by Robin van Persie is one thing (and still must come as a personal disappointment to Rooney) but by a much younger and inexperienced rival? Rooney has also found himself filling in central midfield. This might have more to do with Fergusons bewildering reluctance to reinforce the heart of his side, but it is troubling that Rooney is deemed the one who can be moved from his preferred and natural position. Back to Wednesday night, van Persie offered very little until his offside goal, and in the final twenty minutes looked dead on his feet. It was a surprise he was not subbed off for Javier Hernandez, who came on for Shinji Kagawa, and Fergusons persistence with a striker who looks to have run out of battery and was on a run of 11 games without a goal from open play does not bode well for Rooney. Ferguson has denied he plans to sell Rooney.
It is totally out of the question. There is no way we would sell him, or any of our best players.Confirms Wayne Rooney will be at Old Trafford next season? No, actually, that is a quote from April 2003 about David Beckham. Two months later he joined Real Madrid. Beckham joins a list that includes Paul Ince and Jaap Stam, big name stars who Ferguson ruthlessly sold with very little remorse. The problem with trying to offload a player like Rooney is a buyer needs to be lined up before any notion that United want to sell becomes public. If Ferguson were to make Rooney publicly available and no one was interested, United would be left with an unhappy player, who would attract plenty of media headlines, on massive wages, and no reconciliation would repair the damage between club, manager and player. If, on the other hand, you can attract the attention of any potential buyers in advance, perhaps get them to contact Rooneys agents and set up a deal between buyer and player, then the transfer can be settled quickly and everyone is happy. There are few clubs who can afford Rooneys price or wages, and Rooney is no longer on the top tier of footballers, so the likes of Barcelona and Real Madrid are unlikely to be interested. PSG is a perfect fit, and there appears to be interest from the French capital. If Rooney does not move then one wonders what will happen to him at United. Will he continue to slip down the pecking order? Will he be played out of position? Will he join the ranks rather than being one of the generals? Will he be happy being only a squad member? In a way, a transfer seems like the best move for all concerned. Click "next" below to read our five replacement choices for Rooney.