Rooney signs new long-term United deal

Monday, 24 February 2014 00:04 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Reuters: England striker Wayne Rooney has signed a four-year contract extension with Premier League champions Manchester United that will keep their prize asset at the club until June 2019. United announced the deal on their website (www.manutd.com) on Friday with the 28-year-old, who left Everton for Old Trafford in 2004, having a year to run on his old contract.

“I am made up to be staying at United,” said Rooney, whose new deal will earn him up to 300,000 pounds a week, according to media reports. “I am convinced that this is the start of another successful chapter in Manchester United’s history.” United have struggled since David Moyes took over as manager in the close season and tying Rooney to a new contract will come as a relief after predecessor Alex Ferguson said at the end of last term that the player had asked for a transfer. United, owned by the American Glazer fanmily, are languishing in seventh place in the Premier League ahead of their visit to Crystal Palace on Saturday. They are 11 points away from the top four, which brings a Champions League qualifying place, although they are in the last 16 of this season’s competition where they face Olympiakos. Rooney has made 430 appearances for United, scoring 208 times, and is fourth on the club’s all-time goalscorer list behind Jack Rowley (211), Denis Law (237) and Charlton (249). He has won the Champions League, five Premier League titles, two League Cups and the FIFA World Club Cup as well as the PFA and Football Writers’ Player of the Year awards in 2010. At the end of last season, Rooney denied that he had requested a move but media speculation about his future intensified when Chelsea made a bid for him in the summer. Moyes fought to keep the striker at United and Rooney has repaid his manager with 11 goals in 28 appearances this term.

Rooney proves his worth to United

Reuters: Wayne Rooney proved he was worth his weight in gold to Manchester United with a man of the match performance in a 2-0 win at Crystal Palace in the Premier League on Saturday. Twenty-four hours after signing a new four-year contract that media reports said was worth 300,000 pounds a week, the England forward repaid the faith of manager David Moyes with a stunning volley in the 68th minute. Rooney’s strike came six minutes after Robin van Persie had converted a penalty and secured a comfortable away win, their first of 2014, against a tough Palace side. Rooney has made 431 appearances for United, notching 209 goals. He is fourth on the club’s scoring list and is eyeing Bobby Charlton’s record of 249.