Manchester United will not sell Wayne Rooney, even if the unsettled striker hands in a transfer request – a prospect the club are prepared for – or Chelsea return with a higher bid than the €23 million which was rejected earlier this week.

United intend keeping Rooney beyond the close of the transfer window on September 2nd despite the 27-year-old being “angry and confused” owing to a perception his status at the club has fallen.

Chelsea had hoped to take advantage of the situation and will test United's resolve again in the coming days. Jose Mourinho has admitted he is their sole transfer target.

However, it is understood United will not countenance an approach despite the apparent breakdown in relationship between player and the club.

Rooney, who flew home on the opening day of United's three-week tour of Asia with a hamstring injury, is understood to be back in training at Carrington and able to use the exercise bicycle and manager David Moyes hopes to play him in United's friendly against Sweden's AIK Fotboll on August 6th.

As the hamstring problem is only minor and the striker was sent home as a precaution, there is confidence at the club his preparation for the new campaign, which starts at Swansea City on August 17th, will not be hampered.

Moyes has stated publicly for the first time United did make a formal offer for Barcelona’s Cesc Fabregas.

"I don't like to talk about players at other clubs but I can confirm we made a bid for him," he said, of what is thought to be a €30 million offer that was rejected by Barcelona.

United are wary
While Barca are yet to make a statement saying they do not want to sell Fabregas, United are wary about making any move to try to prise Gareth Bale from Tottenham Hotspur due to the difficulty of negotiating with Daniel Levy, the Tottenham chairman.

After the club's difficult experience in securing the transfers of Dimitar Berbatov in 2008 and Michael Carrick two years previously from Tottenham, club executives believe any bid could be drawn out and end in disappointment.

Robin van Persie, who joined United’s tour in Sydney earlier this week, after extra time off due to international commitments, has spoken of his first meeting with Moyes.

“Yes, it was the first time I’d met David and the first time I spoke to him. He came across as really nice and I had a good [training] session yesterday [Wednesday].

“It is all new but sometimes it is good as well to have a new challenge and to work with new people with new ideas. It gives you a big challenge but I’m looking forward to it.

"Everyone looks forward to it. The guys are working hard and I have to follow now. Every training [session] is a big challenge, especially now everyone starts again on zero and you have to earn your place again."
Guardian Service