Google Manchester United at the moment and what you get is a long list of players linked with the club: Fabregas, Ronaldo……. and the one player “definitely” leaving for either Chelsea or Arsenal: Wayne Rooney.
Many people, United fans included seem to have accepted that Wayne Rooney will leave the club and they are looking at his potential replacement rather than considering what United stand to lose.
Wayne Rooney may have had his worst season for United, but he still chipped in with 12 goals and 10 assists from 22 starts in the league. Put that in to perspective, Juan Mata who was voted fan’s player of the year and the player’s player of the year at Chelsea scored 12 goals with 12 assists from 31 starts. It does show how high the expectations of Rooney are at United and it also explains why Chelsea covet a player who’s statistics rival those of their current player of the year.
Rooney has been the heart beat of United for a long time and whilst he didn’t hit those heights last year, he was the man that delivered when the team needed it. Rooney was in the shadow of Robin Van Persie, Van Persie was the figurehead and Rooney dropped where ever he was asked and just got on with it. When Van Persie had his baron patch Rooney chipped in with goals and assists that kept United going.
It’s understandable that Rooney is disillusioned, he was the player asked to adapt and do a job, which he did, but he was then left out of key games because other players were preferred. It’s obvious that his relationship with Sir Alex Ferguson had deteriorated, but Sir Alex has now retired and Rooney has the opportunity to rebuild his United career.
Rooney is on the cusp of becoming a United legend, he is 4th in the all time list of United’s leading goal scorers and still only 27 years of age. United need to throw an arm around Wayne Rooney and make him feel wanted again, the fans need to bury there resentment at him handing in a transfer request and recognise he didn’t know if he was wanted at United. They need to once again get behind the player and show him what he means to them, because Wayne Rooney is one player that will deliver as he has done throughout his United career.
The player is never bigger than the club, but the club can be better as a result of keeping the player, so the club should be selfish and do everything it can to keep Wayne Rooney.