Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has made steps to kill off rumours that Wayne Rooney will leave Old Trafford in the summer, according to the Mirror.

The veteran manager has quashed allegations suggesting that his decision to exclude striker Rooney from the team that started the 2-1 loss to Real Madrid on Tuesday meant the player was on his way out of the club.

Peak

The striker, 27, is now at the period in his career where his form should be at its peak, and will have been desperately disappointed at having been left out for the crucial Champions League tie, which saw United exit the competition on away goals.

Rooney has just two years left on his current contract at United, a club that he’s been at since joining as an 18-year old in August 2004, but question marks over his recent fitness and emergence of younger strikers Javier Hernandez and Danny Welbeck have left his place in the team in doubt.

Furthermore, despite netting 11 times in 20 league games this season, summer signing Robin van Persie has taken the title of United’s dominant striker away from the player, with the Dutchman scoring 19 goals in his first season at Old Trafford, and ultimately becoming Ferguson’s preferred weapon of choice in attack.

Anger

Despite signs pointing to the contrary, Ferguson has angrily denied numerous claims that he is ready to let Rooney leave for the right price, and says he will be offered a new contract at the Manchester club when the time is right.

He said of the speculation, according to the newspaper: “There is absolutely no issue about a new contract for Wayne.

“When it is time to renegotiate with Wayne it will be done.

“We don’t want our best players to leave and Wayne is coming into his mature years.

“He got me 32 goals last season and, although he’s had issues with illness and injuries this year, and hasn’t had a long run of games, he’s already got me 14 goals.

“For people to suggest that I don’t talk to Wayne on the training ground is absolute [rubbish]. It’s an insult to me and to Wayne.”

While it is now clear that Ferguson wants Rooney to stay, the England star’s own intentions are not known, other than the fact that he wants to remain in the North-West of England to minimise difficulty to his family, the newspaper claims, with wife Coleen expecting a second child.