Louis van Gaal: Rooney is my BEST striker…but he HAS to play in midfield

Posted Monday, February 16, 2015 by Express.co.uk

LOUIS VAN GAAL has warned Wayne Rooney he has no chance of playing as a striker and must stay in midfield until he can buy again in the summer.

Louis van Gaal: Rooney is my BEST striker…but he HAS to play in midfield
Rooney has mainly been used in a midfield position this season

The Manchester United manager words serve as a warning to Juan Mata, Ander Herrera and Marouane Fellaini – bought at a combined cost of £92million – that they are not up to the job.

Ahead of tonight’s FA Cup fifth-round tie at Preston, Van Gaal said: “I haven’t got what I need in this squad. I’m looking for balance and I need it in midfield.

“We are in a process and we have to wait and see how far we can reach together. It’s logical that you don’t play so well sometimes. I can assure you that it is not only Manchester United who play badly sometimes.

“Rooney is maybe our best striker but I am playing him in midfield because I have to look at which players make the biggest contribution and in what position.

“In the last few games I have played with Adnan Januzaj and Angel Di Maria in the midfield positions and Radamel Falcao and Robin van Persie up front. That means you have four creative players so you have to look for some balance.”

Roma’s Kevin Strootman remains his top target but Van Gaal insists United and England captain Rooney – only 25 goals short of Sir Bobby Charlton’s all-time United scoring record – has never complained about being used out of position.

Van Gaal added: “He’s happy otherwise he should come to me and say he’s not happy. He never does. He’s always friendly to me. He wants to perform what I want so that’s what I see.

“Of course when the whole world is writing he has to be in the striker’s position, he will be thinking, ‘maybe, hey’. He’s human.”