7 Jan 2012

Manchester United refute Rooney on the move

12:48 pm on 7 January 2012

Manchester United and Wayne Rooney have described as "complete nonsense" a newspaper report that the England football striker is set to leave the premier league champions.

The main story on the back page of Saturday's Independent says the "Christmas bust-up between Rooney and Ferguson has run so deep that it could lead to the player's departure as early as the current transfer window".

United and Rooney have respondedly by issuing a joint denial.

United's website says "We have not seen the detail (of the report) but can assure all United fans the manager and the club are committed to Wayne Rooney and Wayne is committed to the manager and the club."

According to several media reports earlier this week, Rooney was dropped for last weekend's 3-2 league home defeat by Blackburn Rovers for "disciplinary reasons".

The England striker returned to the team for the mid week 3-0 league defeat at Newcastle United but was substituted in the second half after a below-par performance.