United ready to offload Rooney in summer

Reports suggest Premier League giants could seek £20m deal for striker.

English Premier League leaders Manchester United are ready to sell out-of-favour striker Wayne Rooney in a £20m deal in the summer, according to a report in The Telegraph.

Rooney’s fractured relationship with manger Alex Ferguson has fuelled speculation that the Scot could finally offload his star striker in the summer. The 27-year-old’s future at Old Trafford came under more scrutiny when Ferguson decided to drop him from his starting line-up for Tuesday’s Champions League match with Real Madrid.

Reports suggest Ferguson and United have already started planning for life without the England striker next season.

Rooney’s recent poor form couple with concerns relating to his match fitness have exasperated Ferguson. Those issues, combined with the stunning success of last summer’s marquee purchase Robin Van Persie and the emergence of young strikers Danny Welbeck and Javier Hernandez have accelerated his fall from grace at Old Trafford.

United reportedly do not plan to negotiate a new contract with the striker as his current £250,000-a-week deal is set to expire in two years.

There will also be no shortage of suitors for the capture of the talented striker. Manchester City, who failed to sign him during the 2010-11 season, could renew their interest in Rooney. The January departure of striker Mario Balotelli to AC Milan means that City would be looking for a replacement in the summer and Rooney would fit the bill for Roberto Mancini.

United signed Rooney from Everton for a staggering £25.6 million in the 2004 summer transfer window.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 8^th, 2013.