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Sports / Football

Ferguson dismisses Rooney-to-PSG reports

Published: 20 Apr 2013 - 04:45 am | Last Updated: 02 Feb 2022 - 02:14 pm


Brooklyn (left), Romeo (centre) and Cruz (right), children of Paris Saint-Germain’s English midfielder David Beckham take part in a training session at French L1 football club PSG’s training camp in Saint-Germain-en-Laye, near Paris, yesterday. 

MANCHESTER, United Kingdom: Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson yesterday dismissed speculation linking Wayne Rooney with a move to French league leaders Paris Saint-Germain.

England international Rooney has reportedly been a target of the French capital club, despite having two years of his five-year contract to run at Old Trafford.

But ahead of their game Barclays Premier League game against Aston Villa on Monday, Ferguson played down talk that the 27-year-old forward would leave the club at the end of the season.

“I don’t think there’s anything in that at all,” Ferguson said in response to question about whether Rooney had been unsettled by talk of a move to PSG.

“I couldn’t tell you (anything) about that. As far as taking him off on against West Ham, it’s because he wasn’t playing as well as Shinji (Kagawa) was.

“We had to get that goal that mattered and, of course, there are so many games where Wayne Rooney is better than other players. But on the night Shinji was playing so well.”

Manchester United will have a full squad to choose from against Aston Villa, despite a physical encounter against West Ham in their last game on Wednesday, which ended 2-2.

Winger Ashley Young has been ruled out of the remainder of the campaign with an ankle injury.

“We have a few bumps and bruises. David De Gea has a beautiful bruise on his cheekbone,” the United manager told reporters in Manchester.

“I think after coming out of that war zone I am pleased there is no-one seriously injured. The team were fantastic that night in terms of standing up,” he said. AFP