Rooney: I Am Going Nowhere

Wayne Rooney has moved to kill speculation over his future, insisting that he intends to remain at Old Trafford for 'a long time'.

Recent press rumours have suggested that the striker could be sold either this month or in the summer, citing an alleged breakdown in his relationship with Sir Alex Ferguson.

Having dismissed those stories as idle conjecture on Friday evening, Rooney again had his say on the matter after scoring twice in United's FA Cup victory at Manchester City.

"I think everything which has been in the press of late has been a load of nonsense, really," the striker told ITV Sport.

"Because it's me, because it's Manchester United, it's blown up out of context. There's no problem with me at this club and I want to be at the club for a long time."

Sir Alex Ferguson backs Rooney's assertion, but warned his star man that he will continue to be burned by the glare of the media's spotlight.

"We must explain this about Rooney - he's a headline-maker, whether it's good or bad," the boss told MUTV. "The press don't mind. It's a situation we experienced many years ago with Paul Gascoigne.

"This is the new Paul Gascoigne: a headline-maker, and we're better seeing him like that today when it's good stuff. Any flaws in Wayne will be absolutely annihilated by the press because that's what they're like. That's the animal we're dealing with.

"Today it was a magnificent performance from him. There's no problem with the boy's temperament, no problem with him at all. It's just off the field he's going to be spotlighted all the time."