Wayne Rooney: Should he stay or should he leave?

“Rooney is the biggest England talent I’ve seen since I arrived in England. There has certainly not been a player under 20 as good as him since I became a manager here.” Arsene Wenger on Rooney following his last-minute goal against Arsenal in October 2002.

This pretty much sums up Rooney’s entry into senior football and as we all know, the rest is history.

I like the dreams of the future better than the history of the past. So, where is Rooney heading? Which club needs him the most? And at which club will he fit in?

Though experts keep saying that Rooney is United- bound, I would also say United is Rooney-bound. One of the greatest football clubs like Manchester United has always put club over player. That is the main reason behind its success. The departure of some of the greats like Beckham, Ruud Van Nistelroy, Ronaldo didn’t stop them from winning. United would not be traumatised if Rooney leaves, but will it be United’s biggest loss if he does?

Play him as a lone centre-forward, he makes perfect runs and scores goals. Play him with another striker, he is a magician in the box. Play him as a defensive midfielder, he makes the pass which is as good as the Barclays goal of the season. Rooney could be an incredible player for everybody in the world, and nobody can turn him down. With his versitality, every club would be delighted to have him.

Transfer rumours say that Chelsea, PSG and Arsenal are the favourites to sign the England footballer. With his position at United, a club like Chelsea would be ideal for Rooney to fill the missing piece in their attacking option.

His wonder strike against Brazil would keep David Moyes interested in Wayne Rooney. Whether Moyes grants him the freedom to select the position he wants or give Rooney his license for new challenges is a mystery. Nevertheless, Moyes knows the lad more than anyone else. An unhappy player is neither good for the team nor the player himself.

With Rooney deservingly adamant about his position, the signing of the likes of Ronaldo would put further doubt about his position, especially with the Portuguese drifting into a centre forward position at times. Everybody knows how devastating this duo could be, but this looks like it would only add on to Moyes’ problems.

With Rooney’s position, United have to either play the 4-4-2 position, which is non-existent in recent times and does not suit Moyes’ style. Moyes’ would like to stick to a 4-2-3-1 formation or even a 4-5-1 formation based on his resources. Offers from Chelsea would be ideal for Rooney to fill up the missing piece in their attack and the temptation to play under ‘The Special One’ Mourinho. It’s not only a question of United convincing him, but also whether the club needs him.

Whether he leaves or not, Rooney will always be in United’s heart. If he leaves, I would always see him as a Manchester United player in the wrong shirt.