• Premier League

De Gea hopes for Rooney United stay

ESPN staff
May 24, 2013
David de Gea insists Wayne Rooney is happy at the club © Getty Images
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David De Gea hopes Wayne Rooney stays at Manchester United and expects new manager David Moyes to continue along the path set by outgoing boss Sir Alex Ferguson.

Moyes' first big decision as United manager looks to be what to do with his former Everton charge Rooney, who Ferguson said on leaving had again asked for a move away from Old Trafford.

Reports in Manchester this week suggested Paris Saint-Germain headed his queue of suitors, with Chelsea and Real Madrid also thought to be interested in offering an escape route for the English international.

The United goalkeeper told Spanish radio show El Larguero on Thursday that he hoped Rooney stayed as he was an important player for the team.

"He looks fine to me, happy," De Gea said. "We do not know if he will go, but we hope he stays. He is a very important player for us."

De Gea revealed he is not sure what to expect from Moyes, but the assumption was that as little as possible would change at Old Trafford next season.

"Really, I do not know," he said. "He did very well at Everton, was there for many years. I believe he will be more or less on the same line as our boss Alex Ferguson."

Speculation that the ex-Atletico goalkeeper might return to Spain to replace Barcelona's outgoing Victor Valdes was batted away.

"That would be very difficult," he said. "I am very happy [at United]. Things are going really well, better every day. I am very happy."

De Gea's season is not over yet, as he is now set to captain a strong Spanish U-21 squad including Isco, Thiago Alcantara and Iker Muniain at June's European Championships in Israel. While acknowledging his country were among the favourites to lift the trophy, he said they were for now only concentrating on a tough group which features Russia, Germany and Holland.

"We have a difficult group, above all we need to through the first phase and go bit by bit," he said. "The team is very good, we did very well in qualifying and we need to keep going like that."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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