Rooney Resurrects Departure Fears by Refusing to Commit to Manchester United

Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney says talks are on-going regarding his long-term future at Old Trafford despite admitting to having a new lease of life under David Moyes.

Rooney submitted a transfer request at the end of last season after becoming a peripheral figure in the United attack but Moyes and the club hierarchy remained adamant the England striker was not for sale and rejected two bids from Chelsea.

Following a head injury, Rooney has returned to the United team and despite netting five goals this season, questions remain over his future with the Premier League champions following a summer where reports were rife that he wanted out.

On the eve of the first of England's two crucial World Cup qualifiers against Montenegro and Poland, Rooney has conceded that Sir Alex Ferguson's insistence on playing him in a withdrawn midfield role behind Robin van Persie led to his discontent and that his future is far from certain.

"To be honest I've been settled all summer," Rooney maintained.

"I know from the outside looking in it might not have seemed like that, but I have. Obviously there's been a lot of stuff happening and people waiting for me to say whatever but I've spoken to the people who matter at the club and we've known ourselves what we're doing.

"My wife had a new child and I've been really happy. I'm not going to go around saying: 'I wanted to stay or I wanted to leave.' I've just got my head down and worked hard. I've been focused and been wanting to prove to people that I'm a top player. I wanted to prove it to myself really rather than anyone else.

"You can see I'm playing and I'm happy in my football. I'll have more discussions with the club and we'll see what happens from there."

Rooney made a U-turn on his decision to leave the club in 2010, signing a new contract having submitted a transfer request after questioning United's ambition.

However, Rooney's recent dissatisfaction at United came to a head following his omission from the team which faced Real Madrid in the Champions League, with Ferguson preferring Danny Welbeck in a tie the club went on to lose.

"Everyone at the club knew where I wanted to play and I think that's why I was disappointed," Rooney added. "I got told to play in midfield and I didn't want to. I just think there had to come a point when, for my own career, I had to be a bit selfish really.

"I actually felt when I played in midfield I did okay, but I didn't want to play there. I've had no problem in the past playing out of position. But I felt I deserved the right to play in my position and that wasn't happening.

"I think, naturally, I was a bit disappointed and maybe that affected some of the games I played. I know myself that last year wasn't my best season but there were times when I was playing in different positions.

"I didn't feel I got a consistent run of games up front. Sometimes when you're not playing in one position all the time it's difficult to adapt."

Respective hamstring and head injuries have restricted Rooney's involvement for United since the appointment of Moyes, who handed the forward his professional debut at Everton in 2002.

And Rooney says while he won't rule out a return to a deeper midfield role, he is happy with his football again - a huge boost to England ahead of two must win qualifiers.

"You can clearly see I'm playing and I'm happy in my football," he said.

"David Moyes has come in, he's playing me up front, and I'm enjoying it.

"I've had no problem playing out of position in the past, but I'm a forward and I felt I deserved the right to play in my position.

"That wasn't happening. Naturally I was a bit disappointed and maybe that affected some of the games I played because last season wasn't my best.

"Everyone at the club knew where I wanted to play. Maybe I will play in midfield when I'm a bit older if I have lost my legs a bit but I didn't want to play there.

"I'm not saying I am going to throw my arms up in the air and not do it if we were hanging on a bit in the last 10 minutes of a game if and I got asked to drop back. But there came a point where I had to be a bit selfish for my own career."