Part-3 Special Feature: Wayne Rooney set to part ways with Sir Alex Ferguson for better or worse
Well, one thing is for sure now that Wayne Rooney will be looking for a move away from Manchester United in the next transfer window and that is the January transfer window of 2011. There are many suitors for his services but it
all depends on where Rooney wants to go? What are his ambitions? And most importantly, what kind of bargaining power do Manchester United hold now after the player’s intent on leaving the club has been made public?
Sir Alex Ferguson has always been a shrewd businessman when it comes to transfers. He is well aware of Rooney’s potential market value and thus, we can all be sure that he will be playing hard ball in January as far as this transfer
goes. The usual suspects will once again be Manchester City, Barcelona, Inter Milan and Real Madrid. The move has to definitely go through in January otherwise, Rooney can well use the Bosman rule and buy his way out of his current contract at United after
just a single year has been left on the deal.
In doing so, he will only have to pay Manchester United 5 million pounds to void his contract with the club and then sign with any other club in the world that he likes. Two of his most likely destinations are Manchester City and
Real Madrid. Jose Mourinho, the Real Madrid coach has already come out and said that he will be interested in the English striker if he leaves Manchester United. On the other hand, City are maintaining media silence right now but their financial power might
well pull the deal away from Real Madrid.
Manchester United will be looking to get a transfer fee of around 50-60 million pounds for their talismanic striker. If they indeed secure such a transfer amount then they will certainly look to reinvest in their squad. Another
possible deal is that United opt for a player swap for Rooney. If they do a deal with Madrid, they can perhaps secure a swap deal which will include Rooney going to Madrid but Benzema plus some cash coming the other way?
Or maybe, they can convince Real to part ways with Kaka in a straight swap deal with Rooney. All remains to be seen, if Ferguson really wants to cash in on his striker than the best option will be Manchester City, their economic
muscle is well known after they secured the likes of Balotelli and David Silva in the previous transfer window. Fergie, as Sir Alex Ferguson is more affectionately known, might choose money over players and given Manchester United’s current financial situation
that might actually be more appropriate. The funds acquired from Rooney’s sale can be used to satisfy some portion of their debt payments but at what cost? Maybe, at the cost of their supremacy in English football?
Ferguson, who has been in-charge at United for over 23 years, will already have carved out a plan for himself. United now have to deal with the fact that an unsatisfied and unhappy Wayne Rooney will be in their dressing room and
training sessions, a source of further discontent for all the other players at the club. There is also a possibility that they will have to deal with his below par performances now but that is unlikely as Rooney is indeed playing for his future, he will be
playing to fetch himself the right deal at the right club.
Many have ruled out the possibility of Rooney still staying at United, maybe the Englishman will come to his senses and realize that the turbulent times that he is going through are part of a temporary phase that will pass eventually.
Moreover, the respect and admiration that he has earned at United will not be reciprocated at other clubs. The fans at Real Madrid are not as loving as at the Theatre of dreams, we have already seen that at the start of the season as they jeered the likes
of Khedira and Ronaldo.
If Rooney opts for City then he will be putting wealth over professional success, not only that he will still be in England and facing the same media that he has been dealing with at United. It is a loss-loss situation for the
striker, the best decision right now for Rooney will be to come out and act smartly for once in his life, to come out and let it be known that he is loyal to the club that complimented his rise to the heights he sees today. The energetic and creative striker
will do well to realize that every pride has a fall.
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