Soccer: United's power waning, says Rooney

Wayne Rooney gave a clinical response to his manager last night, delivering in the course of a statement confirming his desire to leave Manchester United, the most credible argument available to him: that the club's ambitions do not match his own.

Rooney's fears that United are financially unable to spend in a way that can maintain their place among the elite has been one of the fundamental reasons all along why he has refused to sign a new £150,000-a-week contract, and after allowing that message to be clouded by questions about his manager, he finally made that point yesterday evening.

"I met with [chief executive] David Gill last week and he did not give me any of the assurances I was seeking about the future squad," Rooney said.

In a 230-word statement, which drives Rooney another step nearer to the Old Trafford exit, the 24-year-old questioned the accuracy - and honesty - of Sir Alex Ferguson's account on Tuesday of events leading to the player's seemingly inevitable departure. While Ferguson said he was "dumbfounded" to find that Rooney's mind was set on August 14, when Gill was informed of the decision by the player's agent, Paul Stretford, Rooney's account of a meeting with Gill only last week suggests he has given United longer to convince him of their ambition.

Rooney stated there had been "a number of meetings" since August, when he had pressed the same concerns.

The striker's statement alludes to his "recent difficulties" with Ferguson - also contradicting the manager's claim there had been no personal problems between them. But by subtly linking Ferguson's inevitable retirement to his concerns about the future, Rooney reinforced his own case. "For Manchester United's sake, I wish he could go on for ever because he's a one-off and a genius," he said of Ferguson.

Though Rooney's prime motive for leaving - the salaries on offer at Manchester City which United will not match - obviously did not figure in his statement, the youthful United team sheet for their midweek Champions League match with Bursaspor bore out his grounds for anxiety.

Ferguson's line was led by 19-year-old Federico Macheda, a player yet to prove he is more than an impact substitute, with Gabriel Obertan and Bebe - both unproven - on the bench. The untried Bebe's £7.5 million ($15.7 million) arrival from Guimaraes, two days before Stretford told Gill that Rooney did not want to sign a new deal, has been the ultimate example of United's preference to gamble on unproven ability rather than, as Rooney put it, to provide "assurances about the continued ability of the club to attract the top players in the world".

The allusion to the "ability" of United to spend, rather than an unwillingness, is a suggestion that their totemic player shares the view - vehemently denied by United - that the club's financial position has left them foundering.

United have spent £50 million in total since the £80 million departure of Cristiano Ronaldo to Real Madrid.

Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson's indifferent response to suggestions that Ferguson may come calling for Fernando Torres - "These things happen. We'll cross that bridge when we come to it," Hodgson said - will reinforce United's belief that their initial inquiries about the player may bear fruit.

Ferguson did not take questions about Rooney before United's match against the Turks, but he was jocular about it, despite the timing of his star player's statement - two hours and 10 minutes before kick-off. This was Ferguson's 2000th match in management and when reminded of the fact, he laughed: "The week I've had, it seems like my 10,000th."

Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini said he was not surprised by Rooney's determination to leave Old Trafford. He said the attraction of City was no different to the appeal both Manchester United and Chelsea have had to players in the past - and City could not be blamed if players were attracted to them.

Asked about the perceived shift in the balance of power between the two Manchester clubs, Mancini said: "Life changes. I don't think one club can dominate for 10 or 15 years. It was the same a few years ago at Chelsea, and maybe 10 to 15 years ago at United.

"All clubs who can spend money get this criticism. Next year, though, it can change because the rules are changing [through financial fair play rules].

"But if one club has money to spend it is normal [that they want to spend it]."

Mancini did not rule out the need for another striker - "it depends", he said.

- Independent