Wayne Rooney 'was not keen to play because he has asked for a transfer' says Sir Alex Ferguson

Posted Monday, May 13, 2013 by

Wayne Rooney’s Manchester United career may have reached a point of no return after Sir Alex Ferguson revealed the forward had handed in a transfer request and did not want to play in his farewell game at Old Trafford because it had been rejected.

Wayne Rooney 'was not keen to play because he has asked for a transfer' says Sir Alex Ferguson
Leave me out: Wayne Rooney was omitted from Sir Alex Ferguson's
squad for his last game in charge

The 27-year-old, who watched the 2-1 victory against Swansea from an executive box after being omitted from the matchday squad, was jeered and whistled by some supporters as he collected his Premier League winners’ medal following the game.

Persistent rumours of Ferguson and Rooney’s relationship breaking down in recent months were given added weight by the pair sharing a curt handshake following the medal presentation.

It is understood that Rooney asked for a transfer during a meeting with Ferguson two weeks ago.

The arrival of David Moyes as Ferguson’s successor could save Rooney’s Old Trafford career should the incoming manager hand the forward – who he sold to United for £27million in August 2004 – a lifeline at the club.

But despite the insistence of Ferguson and Manchester United that Rooney would not be sold, the player’s future is likely to be a pressing issue for Moyes.

Wayne Rooney 'was not keen to play because he has asked for a transfer' says Sir Alex Ferguson

“I don’t think Wayne was keen to play, simply because he has asked for a transfer,” Ferguson said. “I think he wants to think it through in his mind and I think that is a good idea. We have refused it. I think he should go away and think about it again, but it’s not my decision now.”

With Rooney becoming a peripheral figure in recent weeks since being dropped to the substitutes’ bench for the Champions League second-round tie against Real Madrid in March, Ferguson claims that the player’s stance is fuelled by his fall from grace. But he insists that Rooney would not be in this position had he played his best this season.

“He wasn’t happy about being brought off in games this season,” Ferguson said. “Wayne Rooney in top form wouldn’t be taken off. But we are not going to let him go. I just think he is maybe a bit frustrated about being taken off once or twice in the last few weeks.”

While sources close to the Rooney camp claim that the player is open-minded about remaining at the club once Ferguson is replaced by Moyes, the new manager will have the final say, rather than Ferguson.

But former United captain Gary Neville, a long-time team-mate of Rooney at Old Trafford, has warned the Liverpudlian that he risks making a mistake if he leaves the club.

“He has not been himself over these last couple of months, you can see there is something wrong,” Neville said.

“However, if he has seen what has happened here today, that reception before the game, as he was sat up there in that box and looked around him, he’s 27 years of age, there is nowhere to go from here, believe me.

“I’ve seen players join Real Madrid and other great clubs in Europe and they always want to come back to this club.

“So I would hope that Rooney settles down over the summer, that he gets his head down and that he brings himself back.

“Players have ups and downs, it’s a rollercoaster if you play for this club for 20 years, it’s a not a bed of roses at times, you have your ups and downs.

“You struggle mentally at times, he might not think that, but he will be going through a difficult moment.

“He needs to come away and play for England in these next couple of weeks then have a summer off and hopefully he will get his head back to being a United player because there is nowhere to go after here.”

Neville hinted at Rooney being badly advised by his associates following the forward’s second attempt to leave United in three years.

“He has an agent by the way and he has got friends and they need to give him advice that this is the only club he should be playing at.

“Ryan Giggs, when he was around 27 or 28, there were rumours of him moving to Italy, but he has been through that and he could do worse than have a chat with Wayne at this moment.”

Neville’s comments about Giggs being able to play a key role in the Rooney issue were echoed by former United goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel.

“This is the biggest place in the world to play football,” he said, “and I think the new manager can do himself a favour by first of all having a meeting with Ryan Giggs, quickly get him on board and solve this situation with Rooney once and for all.”