Manchester United Transfer News: Wayne Rooney Indicates Plan to Stay and Fight

Manchester United will be buoyed by Wayne Rooney's most recent statement after the striker displayed genuine intent to help the club out of its current predicament.

"We will get better," he said in an interview with MUTV (h/t David Kent of the Daily Mail), urging the club's fans to stick with the squad through what has been a difficult period to endure.

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The £250,000-a-week forward has been linked with a move to Chelsea this winter, per Matt Law of The Telegraph, with concerns swirling around the fact his contract runs out in less than 18 months.

However, any doubts were done a great service on Thursday, with Rooney saying:

"

The fans’ support is very important. The fans have been great here, especially now when we are not in the best of form and we have lost the last few games.

We need them to support us through this time. We will get stronger and we will get better. The fans are vital in being patient with us and letting us try to get there. I am sure we will do.

"

Rooney has been United's most reliable player this season, but has struggled with a groin injury of late, and results have suffered in the meantime.

For the first time since 2001, the Red Devils have lost three matches in a row, their most recent defeat coming in the first leg of their Capital One Cup semi-final clash against Sunderland.

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However, Rooney has featured in just one of the club's last five games across all competitions, making all too clear the team's need for a player who leads their scoring with 11 goals this term. He has also registered an incredible 19 assists, per Transfermarkt.

Speaking on talkSPORT, ex-Manchester United great Gary Neville claimed several months ago that Rooney had earned a new contract:

According to the aforementioned Telegraph article, Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho is willing to put off signing a striker in the January window so that he can maintain hopes of luring Rooney in the summer.

By then, the 28-year-old will have just a year left on his contract at Old Trafford, leaving United in a dilemma regarding whether to cash in or risk losing their player as a free transfer in 2015.

According to ESPN, David Moyes is in the dark as to whether his star will sign a new contract:

For now, at least, Rooney appears committed to a club who have helped him achieve major success over the last decade.

As a Red Devil, the former Everton starlet has won five Premier League titles, a Champions League crown, a FIFA Club World Cup and two League Cups.

Yet to win this calendar year, the Premier League titleholders have a dire need to get their talisman back to fitness as they look to revive any hopes they might have of finishing among the top four in the English top flight.

Rooney's contract situation is set to earn more attention the closer it runs to its expiry date, but for now his passion for United cannot be doubted as he vows to help turn the club around.