Wayne Rooney looks certain to remain at Manchester United.
The England international has been the subject of much transfer speculation in recent months, since he supposedly told Sir Alex Ferguson he wanted to quit Old Trafford at the end of last season. Matters were further complicated when David Moyes, his new boss, was quoted as saying the former Everton ace is merely back-up for Robin van Persie.
Rooney was said to be ‘angry and confused’ by these comments, although the full transcript of the United manager’s interview indicated his words had been taken out of context. By this time, though, it was widely accepted that the 27-year-old has already made his mind up to leave Manchester, with Chelsea his preferred destination.
Jose Mourinho has made no secret of his admiration for the striker, but he received little joy with the two bids placed for his signature. Moyes continues to insist Rooney is simply not for sale, and the player returned to action in the opening day at Swansea City, when he came off the bench to play a key role in the impressive 4-1 win in Wales.
And following the reception he received from the home supporters in the goalless draw with, ironically, Chelsea on Monday night, it now looks as though Rooney has decided to stay at Old Trafford. He posted on his Facebook page: “It was an unbelievable reaction from the fans, so thank you. I really appreciate your support. It means a lot.”
That he received such a warm welcome is something of a surprise, considering his blanket silence since the news broke of his desire to leave. More so, it is not that long since he was hankering after a move across town to Manchester City, after rather ridiculously claiming United no longer had the ambition to win the major honours.
After the match Mourinho indicated that if Rooney wanted to head to Stamford Bridge before the deadline, he would have to publically declare his intention to. The following day it was widely reported that he would not hand in a transfer request, and following his Facebook tribute to the fans, it appears this transfer saga is finally nearing an end.
