NEWSPost India

Wayne Rooney has claimed there was never a possibility he would have joined Manchester City. Rooney announced that he wanted to leave Manchester United last month, only to perform a U-turn and sign a new five-year contract with the Red Devils. At the time, manager Sir Alex Ferguson said Rooney had apologised to his team-mates and intended to do the same to the fans.

On Wednesday night, following his matchwinning penalty at Rangers, Rooney offered his apology, before revealing the intense speculation about a move to City was well wide of the mark.

Definitely Going

“I feel like I have apologised to the fans but everyone keeps saying that I haven’t,” said Rooney. “If that is the case, then I apologise for my side of things. “I have made my point clear since I signed my contract that I am committed to this club for the long term. I want to be successful here. “Everyone is saying that I was definitely going to Manchester City. Believe me if I had gone it wouldn’t have been in England.”

For two or three days, it appeared certain a move would have to be arranged. Yet the 25-year-old now acknowledges that leaving Old Trafford could have been the biggest mistake of his career. “Of course,” he said. “You see so many players leave this club and not do so well so I am delighted to have stayed.” The process seemed amazingly simple once Rooney received assurances standards would not be allowed to fall.

Alarming Dip

“I spoke with the manager and (chief executive) David Gill. They reassured me the club was moving forward and from that it took maybe two or three hours to negotiate my contract and sign it,” revealed the England forward. “It wasn’t a distraction to my football because I haven’t played that much but it was a distraction overall. I am just happy it is all over now. I want to put it behind me and look forward.”

It has been suggested the contract issue was one of the reasons for Rooney’s alarming dip in form since he sustained the first of a succession of ankle injuries against Bayern Munich in March. The sentiment is one Rooney contests. “Mentally I have been okay,” he said. “Because the football has not been going well and other things have happened, everyone has put it down to not being mentally strong enough. But I am.

“Obviously the most important thing for me at the minute is to play and score goals.”