Don't go, Rooney! Moyes to meet striker for talks as United try to resolve Fergie fall-out
By Rob Draper
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Wayne Rooney is to have urgent summit talks with new Manchester United manager David Moyes as the club attempt to resolve the impasse over the England striker's future created by his fall-out with Sir Alex Ferguson.
While Moyes is preparing for a family holiday and Rooney is on England duty this week, it is understood that both parties are keen to meet as soon as possible to settle 27-year-old Rooney's future, which increasingly looks as though it will be at United.
The club now accept that Rooney has never submitted a formal transfer request and, although Moyes will want to meet the player personally before final decisions are made, with Rooney committed to the club and Moyes an open admirer of the player, a resolution seems imminent.
Ringside: Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney was at the O2 Arena on Saturday night
Handy: Wayne Rooney is set to meet with David Moyes to discuss his Manchester United future
Up for the cup: Rooney might have played his last game for the Premier League champions
Rooney's fall-out with Ferguson came at a meeting last month, which prompted the former United manager to claim that Rooney had asked to leave after nine years at Old Trafford.
But that meeting has now been described by sources as more an exchange between a frustrated player and his manager, in which Rooney expressed his exasperation at being dropped and frequently substituted.
Having received little encouragement from Ferguson, Rooney is said to have suggested that if he were not going to be played then he might as well be sold.
It is understood that while Sir Alex might have regarded such a statement as tantamount to requesting a transfer, there was no formal communication asking for a move and that it was a statement made in the heat of the moment, driven by Rooney's desire to play more.
At the time of the meeting there was also no indication that Sir Alex was about to retire and the situation for both club and player changed radically with the arrival of Moyes.
The new manager demonstrated his independence from Sir Alex last week with the departure of Ferguson's assistant, Mike Phelan, and his goalkeeping coach, Eric Steele.
Moyes's assistant at Everton, Steve Round, and his goalkeeping coach, Chris Woods, would be the most likely replacements.
United's departing chief executive David Gill also said last week that he fully expected Rooney to be playing at Old Trafford next season, indicating that the club have no problem with the player.
Get out, No 2: Mike Phelan was relieved of his role by the incoming Moyes earlier this week
Moyes gave Rooney his Premier League debut as a 16-year-old at Everton but the pair then fell out over false claims in Rooney's autobiography that Moyes had leaked information to the media.
Rooney and the publishers of his autobiography apologised in court and paid damages thought be around £500,000, which were donated to a charity supporting former Everton players.
Since then, Moyes has spoken warmly of Rooney, claiming the player telephoned him to apologise personally and thank him for guidance given him early in his career.
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Let him go this time. He is overpaid and over-rated.
- c13nmr , Cleckheaton UK, 26/5/2013 20:38
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