Wayne Rooney: I Would Like to be Manchester United Captain

Wayne Rooney has expressed his desire to be the captain of Manchester United next season.

During the previous campaign, Nemanja Vidic was leading the Red Devils and in the absence of the Serbian centre-back, Patrice Evra was United's captain. However, the French international and Vidic have left the Old Trafford club in the ongoing transfer window.

The former Barcelona and Bayern Munich manager handed Darren Fletcher the arm band during United's 7-0 pre-season victory over LA Galaxy.

Van Gaal is yet to decide on who will be the new United captain and Rooney has admitted that he will respect his manager's decision, if he does not get the role to lead his side.

"Of course I would like the captaincy but it's the manager's decision who he chooses. I think he wants to work with the players and then choose a captain from there," Rooney said, as quoted by the Manchester Evening News.

"I don't think he was ever going to just walk in and choose a player from the off. I'm sure he will look at the players now and make his decision in a couple of weeks."

Van Gaal was in charge of the Netherlands team during the World Cup. He stepped down from the post to be the new United manager and officially took the reins at Old Trafford earlier this month.

The 62-year-old guided his national side to a third- place finish in the summer tournament in Brazil. Rooney admitted that he was closely watching the Netherlands in action in order to adapt to Van Gaal's coaching methods at United.

"In Brazil I watched the way Holland were playing and I carried on doing that when I came home. However you can watch as much as you want but it's when you hear him getting his point across in training that you start to learn," the England international explained.

"Louis van Gaal has been great. I've only had a few days but he's a strong guy who has been good in training and it's been enjoyable. He is bringing in a new style of play and wants us all to adapt to that and that's been enjoyable."

"He's very honest in training. If you are not doing well in training he will tell you but if you do well he will praise you. If you aren't doing things right in training you need to know so that you can put them right," he added.