• Premier League

Mancini denies Rooney contact

ESPNsoccernet staff
October 20, 2010
Roberto Mancini has played down rumours that Wayne Rooney could be joining Manchester City © Getty Images
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Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini has insisted the club have not made any contact with Manchester United forward Wayne Rooney.

Rooney's immediate future is the subject of frenzied speculation after Sir Alex Ferguson conceded in an extraordinary press conference on Tuesday that Rooney told the club he would not discuss a new contract as early as August and that the player was "adamant" he would leave Old Trafford.

With their vast financial resources, City are one of the few clubs capable of matching Rooney's wage demands and satisfying United's transfer fee requirements, and it has been suggested that Mancini's side are leading the chase to sign the England star.

Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti, Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho, Barcelona boss Josep Guardiola and Tottenham chief Harry Redknapp have all expressed tentative interest in the player, though Mancini was reluctant to expand on whether he felt Rooney would be a good acquisition for City.

In a press conference on Wednesday, Mancini said: "Rooney is a very good player but I think he will stay at United.

"He is a United player. It's not correct to speak about that situation. I have respect for him, for Ferguson, for United. I want to speak only about my players.

"It's not my problem. I'm City manager. I have a lot of problems with my players. It's important for me to focus on Thursday's game.

"He is a strong player like [Fernando] Torres, like [Lionel] Messi, like Carlos Tevez, like [Mario] Balotelli. This is my opinion."

It has been suggested that Rooney already has a club in mind, but Mancini has insisted there has not been any contact from Eastlands.

"No, never, never, never," Mancini said when asked if there had been contact with the England international.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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