United To Offer Rooney £40m New Deal?

Manchester United will make Wayne Rooney their highest-paid player on £150,000 a week to fend off interest from Spain and placate their rebel fans.

Rooney, whose four-goal haul in Saturday's 4-0 win over Hull underlined his importance to United, is expected to be offered the new five-year deal within the next few weeks.

Although Rooney still has two-and-a-half years on his current deal, United are ready to hand him a new contract - worth £40m - that matches his status as the club's most influential player.

United are aware of interest in Rooney from Real Madrid and Barcelona, and recognise they must match the kind of wages the Spanish clubs are willing to offer the 24-year-old.

Rooney has no desire to leave Old Trafford, but all parties agree a new agreement, to reflect his emergence as one of the world's most influential players, must now be struck.
- David McDonnell, Daily Mirror -