Wayne Rooney wants to leave Manchester United, former manager Alex Ferguson’s assistant has claimed.
Mike Phelan, who worked under Ferguson before the veteran left his post at the club, said: “Wayne is at the greatest club you can be at. Why would you want to jeopardise that, unless you want a fresh challenge and you feel that challenge isn’t being met at Manchester United?”
Although Rooney has reportedly had talks with new manager David Moyes regarding his future (or lack thereof) at the club, no statement has been released by the club regarding whether or not the striker will stay at Old Trafford.
“Somewhere down the line there will be words said, there will be meetings,” Phelan added. “They’ll see if it’s still alive and worth going for, or they’ll call time on it.”
In other Rooney news, his former fitness coach Mick Clegg has said that he could still be as good as his former United teammate Cristiano Ronaldo – if he spent more time at the gym. “Wayne didn’t see the importance of the gym really,” Clegg revealed. “He’d say, ‘I’m here to play football’. I always wish I could have pushed Wayne that bit further.”
“Wayne was always a big lad and was afraid of bulking up if he spent too much time in the gym. That’s what set Cristiano Ronaldo apart. He would do whatever training I prescribed and more. He lived and breathed football 24/7 and his dedication was phenomenal.
“Wayne could still be as good as Cristiano if he emulated his attitude to the gym – he is an amazing athlete when he puts his mind to it.”
Photo: Getty Images
