Wayne Rooney Wants To Leave Manchester United

After months of speculation, we finally found out today that Manchester United star striker Wayne Rooney wants to leave the club.

In a press conference before their Champions League match tomorrow at Old Trafford against Bursaspor, manager Sir Alex Ferguson told the reporters the news about Rooney.

According to Ferguson, Rooney wanted to stay with the club at the beginning of 2010, going as far to say that he wanted a life contract with the club.

But after the 2010 World Cup, Rooney's agents told Manchester United chief executive David Gill that Rooney did not want a new contract, and wanted to leave the club.

The exact cause of Rooney's refusal was surprising to Fergie, who claimed he was "shocked" and "disappointed" at the striker's decision to move from the club. "We are as bemused as anyone can be. We can't quite understand why he would want to leave," said Ferguson of Rooney's choice.

Ferguson told the media that he only asked Rooney to show respect and to do nothing to disrespect the club.

Also, Fergie has claimed: "We've done everything we can for Wayne Rooney, since the minute he's come to the club. We've always been there as a harbour for him. Any time he's been in trouble, the advice we've given him—I've even been prepared to give him financial advice, many times."

And finally, Ferguson said: "We've got to a stage now where...I feel that we still have to keep the door open for him, simply because he's such a good player, and we've done nothing but help him since he's come to this club. That's another mystery for us."

Earlier today, it was revealed that Rooney would be able to quit his current contract at the end of the season for £5 million under the "Webster Ruling."

The Webster Ruling (which is in Article 17 of FIFA's transfer rules) dictates that a player who signed a contract before the age of 28 can buy himself out three years after the deal was signed, if he pays his final year's salary and a small compensation fee.

Due to the Webster Ruling, Manchester United could move Rooney during the winter to get his full value instead of seeing him become a free agent during January.

Rooney joined Manchester United in 2004 in a £25.6 million deal from Everton, which at the time was the biggest transfer for a teenage player in history.

He has won three Premier League titles and the Champions League during his time with Manchester United.

Overall, Rooney has scored one goal in five Premier League matches this season, and has battled a nagging injury to his ankle throughout the year.