United Deny Rooney Contract Agreement

Manchester United have denied reports suggesting striker Wayne Rooney has agreed a new four-and-a-half year contract at Old Trafford worth £300,000-a-week.

The England striker is out of contract in the summer of 2014 and United are keen to move to prevent Rooney leaving either for a cut price this summer or on a free in 18 months time.

Initial reports claimed Rooney had penned a deal worth an estimated £70m across nearly five years, keeping him at United until 2018 and firmly dismissing any remaining interest from Chelsea and Real Madrid.

But a United spokesman said: "There is no deal, which is why we haven't announced it."

Though United have rejected the report, the club are said to be in the final stages of talks with Rooney as the Premier League champions attempt to keep the forward at the club for the remainder of his career.

Having netted 208 goals for United since joining from Everton in 2004, Rooney is closing on eclipsing Sir Bobby Charlton as the club's highest ever goalscorer.

Speaking on Rooney's precarious contract situation at United, manager David Moyes said: "We would have to wait and see what happened in that situation.

"I think if you look at his performances he's certainly playing at his best."

Though Rooney has scored 11 goals and made 14 assists in 25 appearances in all competitions for United this season, the 28 year old's campaign has been disrupted by injury with separate head and groin problems restricting his involvement.

Both Arsenal and Chelsea failed with bids to sign Rooney in the summer after former manager Sir Alex Ferguson revealed he had submitted a transfer request at the end of the last campaign, which shrouded his future in uncertainty.

Rooney often played second fiddle to Robin van Persie during United's title winning season but under Moyes has played a central role when available, and a new deal would signal that the boss sees him as a significant figure ahead of a new era at the Theatre of Dreams.