City denies making bid for Rooney
Source: Agencies |
October 21, 2010, Thursday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
MANCHESTER City manager Roberto Mancini says the club has not approached Wayne Rooney in a bid to sign the striker from cross-town rival Manchester United.
City is one of the teams heavily linked to speculation about Rooney, who has told United he does not want to extend his contract at Old Trafford beyond 2012.
Mancini says City hasn't spoken to the England international and believes Rooney "will stay at United."
Mancini added yesterday that "it isn't correct to talk about the player" out of respect for United and its manager Alex Ferguson.
Chelsea and Real Madrid have already said they would be interested in signing Rooney if he carried out his threat to leave United, as Europe's major clubs weigh up bids in the January transfer window.
From the moment he curled in a sensational winner for Everton against Arsenal five days before his 17th birthday in 2002, Rooney's life changed forever.
Unlike the carefully manicured image of David Beckham, Rooney has been raw and wild at times.
Eight years on, after the worst period of his career on and off the pitch, Rooney appears to be disenchanted with the game and has reached a self-inflicted crossroads.
His next decision will be the most important of his life.
Tuesday's extraordinary news conference by Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson, in which he spoke candidly about Rooney's desire to quit Old Trafford, sent shock waves around the soccer world.
Rumors of huge wage demands pointed the 24-year-old's likely future towards mega-rich rivals Manchester City - a move that were it to happen would turn him into a pariah in the red half of town.
"If he thought he already lived in a goldfish bowl then that would be nothing compared to if he went to City," Sammy McIlroy, who played for both clubs, told the BBC yesterday.
"It's an unbelievable situation. Carlos Tevez has done the same thing and at the moment has done very well.
Tevez made the move from United to City in 2009 but was largely forgiven by United fans.
Ferguson cleverly left the ball firmly in Rooney's court on Tuesday and the striker will have to make his intentions clear, sooner rather than later.
Paul Ince, another former United midfielder who discovered that you cross Ferguson at your peril, believes Rooney may just be fatigued at carrying the hopes of his country and his club on his shoulders.
"I think there is more to it than money," Ince told BBC Radio. "It's never been about money with Wayne, it's been about his hunger for the game."
City is one of the teams heavily linked to speculation about Rooney, who has told United he does not want to extend his contract at Old Trafford beyond 2012.
Mancini says City hasn't spoken to the England international and believes Rooney "will stay at United."
Mancini added yesterday that "it isn't correct to talk about the player" out of respect for United and its manager Alex Ferguson.
Chelsea and Real Madrid have already said they would be interested in signing Rooney if he carried out his threat to leave United, as Europe's major clubs weigh up bids in the January transfer window.
From the moment he curled in a sensational winner for Everton against Arsenal five days before his 17th birthday in 2002, Rooney's life changed forever.
Unlike the carefully manicured image of David Beckham, Rooney has been raw and wild at times.
Eight years on, after the worst period of his career on and off the pitch, Rooney appears to be disenchanted with the game and has reached a self-inflicted crossroads.
His next decision will be the most important of his life.
Tuesday's extraordinary news conference by Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson, in which he spoke candidly about Rooney's desire to quit Old Trafford, sent shock waves around the soccer world.
Rumors of huge wage demands pointed the 24-year-old's likely future towards mega-rich rivals Manchester City - a move that were it to happen would turn him into a pariah in the red half of town.
"If he thought he already lived in a goldfish bowl then that would be nothing compared to if he went to City," Sammy McIlroy, who played for both clubs, told the BBC yesterday.
"It's an unbelievable situation. Carlos Tevez has done the same thing and at the moment has done very well.
Tevez made the move from United to City in 2009 but was largely forgiven by United fans.
Ferguson cleverly left the ball firmly in Rooney's court on Tuesday and the striker will have to make his intentions clear, sooner rather than later.
Paul Ince, another former United midfielder who discovered that you cross Ferguson at your peril, believes Rooney may just be fatigued at carrying the hopes of his country and his club on his shoulders.
"I think there is more to it than money," Ince told BBC Radio. "It's never been about money with Wayne, it's been about his hunger for the game."
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