Wayne Rooney Turned Down Manchester United Twice, Confirms Sir Alex Ferguson

Sir Alex Ferguson has spoken about his four-year pursuit of Wayne Rooney, admitting he tried to tempt the player to come to Old Trafford in his very early teenage years.

However, the youngster twice turned down official approaches from United, opting to stay loyal to his boyhood team Everton.

Sir Alex shared the story with ITV Sport's Gabriel Clarke, saying faithful coach Jim Ryan urged the legendary manager to sign the boy after seeing him perform for the Toffee's under-14 team:

"

Jim Ryan came back from one of our academy games at the 14 years level and he said 'I've seen a player' and he said the boy is Wayne Rooney and we tried to get him because there's a window at the end of the season - it's a one week window - where we can entice or approach a boy from another club to come join your academy, but it failed. 

The boy wanted to stay at Everton - at that time he had a love of the club and he's an Everton fan.

"

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Ferguson continued, admitting that he went back in for Rooney as he turned 16, but the "White Pele" was adamant he wanted to stay at Goodison Park:

"

When he got to 16 we tried again. We approached him to join as a 16-year-old, but once again he refused. Then I think everyone saw the highlights when he scored that goal against Arsenal. It confirmed exactly exactly what Jim Ryan had said. This boy was going to be a United player.

"

Fergie's lengthy chase eventually bore fruit two years later, as United agreed a huge £28 million transfer fee for the young man, per ITV, thrusting Wazza into the worldwide spotlight as the club's great hope. 

Ferguson said his assistant manager Walter Smith had insisted United sign the teenager, declaring: "We've got to get this kid, we've got to get him."

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Rooney now sits on the edge of history as he closes in on United and England's all-time top goalscoring records. 

But despite his trophy-laden tenure at Old Trafford, he remains a divisive figure among United fans who haven't forgiven him for his flirtations with Manchester City and Chelsea in the past. 

Rooney has now been left to lead the United attack after the departures of Robin van Persie and Radamel Falcao, with questions being raised whether he still has the engine to be a striker.

However, the Manchester Evening News' Samuel Luckhurst hinted he is now past his prime:

Rooney is assured to become his club and country's most prolific striker, but the No. 10 has found goals hard to come by under Louis van Gaal's tenure. The player recorded just 12 goals in the Premier League last term, according to WhoScored.com, and he is yet to find the net in domestic competition this season. 

Wazza will deserve his plaudits when he breaks the records in the weeks and months to come, but it is questionable whether he fully achieved the potential he had when Ferguson spotted him as a boy.

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At that point, Rooney was ahead of the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, but as those two took world football by the scruff of the neck, the Boy Wonder became United's jack of all trades.

Rooney might have developed into the best player in the world had he followed a more disciplined path, but his five Premier League titles—and Champions League success from 2008—prove he will walk away from the game with many accolades.

And having captained United and England, his legendary status will live on for many years.