London – An astonishing day at Manchester United took an incredible twist on Wednesday night when it emerged Wayne Rooney has asked to leave Old Trafford at a time when the club are close to securing the return of Cristiano Ronaldo.
Only hours after Sir Alex Ferguson confirmed that he will be retiring as United manager at the end of the season, making way for Everton manager David Moyes to take charge, Daily Mail can reveal that Rooney told Ferguson two weeks ago that he wants a fresh start.
At the same time it emerged that outgoing United chief executive David Gill has been in Madrid to meet Jorge Mendes, the Portuguese super-agent who represents Ronaldo. Sources last night insisted United are confident of securing the return of the player they sold to Real Madrid for a world record £80million in 2009.
Rooney is about to be reunited with his first manager in football in Moyes, who is expected to be confirmed soon as the new United boss after meeting Everton chairman Bill Kenwright in London on Wednesday. But Moyes will walk straight into a scrap to keep Rooney after the England striker personally asked Ferguson for a transfer late last month.
Frustrated with life in and out of the team at Old Trafford, Rooney suggested during a meeting in Ferguson’s office that he be allowed to leave this summer. Ferguson, it is understood, told him in no uncertain terms that he would not be sold.
Rooney may now reconsider his stance in the wake of Moyes’s arrival, even though the two men have had their own differences in the past.
It remains to be seen, though, if Rooney follows up his informal plea to Ferguson with a formal transfer request. Rooney knows that Chelsea would be keen to take him to Stamford Bridge, while Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain are also interested. PSG, Daily Mail understands, will lose manager Carlo Ancelotti to Madrid as Chelsea-bound Jose Mourinho’s replacement this summer.
Ferguson himself reacted angrily in February to suggestions Rooney would be sold, stating unequivocally that the Liverpudlian would be at the club next season. Last night, a United spokesman insisted: “Wayne Rooney is not for sale.”
News of Ronaldo’s return could persuade Rooney to stay, given the success they enjoyed together, particularly in winning the Champions League in 2008.
Ferguson has made no secret of wanting to see the former World Player of the Year return. When United met Madrid in the Champions League earlier this season, Ferguson said: “Was I tempted to bring him back? Yes. He’s still in the hamper.” Only yesterday, Ronaldo tweeted: “Thanks for everything, Boss.”
But Chelsea are quietly confident of luring Rooney to London in a £25m move. Incoming boss Mourinho has identified Rooney as one of his principal transfer targets. Mourinho wants a striker to play in the role once occupied by Didier Drogba and believes he can rejuvenate Rooney’s career.
Ferguson, meanwhile, brought down the curtain on his incredible career by effectively choosing Moyes as his successor.
Ferguson’s remarkable 27-year reign as United manager will finally end in 10 days after the Barclays Premier League champions confirmed that he will stand down at the end of the season.
On a momentous day for English football, Ferguson’s imminent departure was confirmed at 9.20am on Wednesday and it soon became clear that Moyes would replace him.
United will announce Moyes’s appointment after thrashing out the details of a contract worth in the region of £5m a year. Now it can be revealed that not only was 71-year-old Ferguson closely involved in discussions about his replacement, he was actually the key man in picking Moyes, described by sources as a critical influence.
Ferguson has always been a fan of Moyes, a manager he once considered for a coaching role when his fellow Glaswegian was in charge at Preston in the 1990s.
Having told the Glazer family, United’s owners, back in March that he intended to stand down, Ferguson implored them to hire the Everton boss.
Other key influences, such as Sir Bobby Charlton and Gill, share Ferguson’s view that the 50-year-old will bring United the same ideals of longevity and continuity that are integral to the club, as well as placing an enormous emphasis on the youth system at Old Trafford.
Last night, Moyes was locked in talks in London with Kenwright about the best way to arrange his departure. Moyes’s contract at Goodison Park expires at the end of the season and he is entitled to walk away.
Stars such as Rooney and Ryan Giggs were sitting having breakfast at United’s training ground at 9am when they were summoned to a meeting in the dressing rooms, where Ferguson told them of his intentions.
The much-decorated manager then moved on to two other meetings, where he informed his coaches and administration staff that Sunday’s home game against Swansea would be his last. All the players were told not to tweet about their manager’s departure.
Ferguson said in a statement: ‘It was important to me to leave an organisation in the strongest possible shape and I believe I have done so. The quality of this league-winning squad, and the balance of ages within it, bodes well for continued success at the highest level, while the structure of the youth set-up will ensure that the long-term future of the club remains a bright one.’
Ferguson will take charge of Sunday’s game, where he will lift the Premier League trophy, the following match at West Bromwich and will then retire to pursue other interests and take up a position on the club’s board.
In his role as non-executive director and honorary president, Ferguson’s input to club affairs will be limited. The board only meets once every two months and yesterday he told his players he would be going ‘nowhere near the dressing room’.
Ferguson’s friend Mourinho was another name constantly linked with the United job. It is understood, though, that he was never a realistic candidate, with United’s owners feeling his penchant for controversy would be too much for a club soon to be deprived of the authoritative figure of Gill.
It also emerged last night that Gill’s decision to resign his own post in February was done in the knowledge that this season could also be Ferguson’s last. The pair have been formidable figures over the last 10 years and it is understood that Ferguson was concerned over a future without his ally.
Moyes, for his part, will now be left to form his own relationship with incoming chief executive Ed Woodward. Everton and England defender Leighton Baines is likely to be one of his early targets.
It is not yet known what will happen to Ferguson’s current coaching staff, a set-up that includes Mike Phelan, Rene Meulensteen and Eric Steele. Moyes works closely at Goodison Park with Steve Round and Chris Woods and may want to integrate his own people into what is already a phenomenally successful United system.
It is also possible that former United defender Phil Neville, who is also leaving Everton at the end of this season, will return to Old Trafford with Moyes as a coach, while veteran United midfielder Paul Scholes is also being considered for a coaching role.
BY NUMBERS
894 - games Ferguson has won as United boss. He has drawn 337 and lost 267.
104 - players Ferguson has signed as United manager.
263 - top-flight managers who have worked during Ferguson’s reign.
14 - players in the current squad who weren’t born when Ferguson first took over at United. – Daily Mail