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Wayne Rooney

LONDON ― Wayne Rooney trained with the reserves at Manchester United on Thursday morning, apparently at his own request. The England striker is determined to leave the Barclays Premier League for Premier League rivals Chelsea. Rooney was the only senior player working with the second string at United’s Carrington training ground, in a session taken by United coaches Warren Joyce and Nicky Butt. After the session, he insisted he requested to join the reserves session at Carrington, rather than play with the first-team.

Rooney has not appeared for United in their pre-season tour so far, with the trip to Sweden this week earmarked for his return after leaving their Asian tour early.
But the striker did not travel to Scandanavia, missing the game against AIK Stockholm with a shoulder injury — and his lack of fitness may be the reason for training with the reserves, rather than it being a punitive measure.

The chasm between Rooney and the club grew when United manager David Moyes intimated that Robin van Persie would be the club’s No 1 striker for the coming season.

Moyes said Rooney would be useful if there was an injury to the Dutchman, leaving the England man ‘angry and confused.’
Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho has made it clear he wants Rooney to spearhead his attack at Stamford Bridge, with the west London club already having two bids rejected.

Rooney is expected to hand in a formal transfer request in order to push the move through as Chelsea line up a £30million offer.
Mourinho described the 27-year-old as the club’s only transfer target, while Moyes lines up a reunion with Everton midfielder Marouane Fellaini. With No 1 target Fabregas preferring to stay at Barcelona, United have turned to the Belgium star. Meanwhile, Fabregas has moved to end speculation about a possible move to Manchester United by insisting he is “very happy” at Barcelona.

United had two bids for the former Arsenal man rejected by Barcelona earlier this summer, while Barca’s sporting director Andoni Zubizarreta declared at the start of the week that United had given up on trying to sign the Spain midfielder.

Fabregas ruled out a move away from the Nou Camp while at the Confederations Cup in June but kept silent after United made their interest in him official, prompting speculation that he was in favour of a transfer.

But speaking in a press conference yesterday, the midfielder said: “Triumphing in Barcelona is what I have been hoping for all my life, it’s been my dream since I was a child.

“I am very happy at Barcelona and I haven’t spoken to any other club in the last two years.” Fabregas also defended not making a statement on his future in the midst of speculation about United’s interest.

“I’ve been relaxed about it the whole time, I didn’t have to clarify anything because the only thing I was thinking about was staying at Barca,’ he said.
“As I haven’t deceived anyone or hidden anything, I told the club’s press department that I would speak when it was my turn to speak to the press.”
And he insisted there was never any truth in the speculation about him wanting a return to the Premier League.

“Stories have been invented,” he said. “I don’t know why speculation grew even after Tito (Vilanova, former Barca coach), Zubizarreta, Tata (Gerardo Martino, new Barca coach) and (Barca vice-president Josep) Bartomeu all said they wanted me to stay.

‘I was never given any sign from the club to make me think they didn’t want me, I have always felt wanted here. I spoke to Bartomeu, the president (Sandro Rosell) in person and Tata also told me he wanted me to stay and there’s been no problem.’— Mailonline