The shadow of Sir Alex Ferguson is the reason behind Wayne Rooney’s determination to quit Manchester United.
From boardroom to bootroom, Ferguson’s presence is still being felt all over Old Trafford. As a director of the club, he is entitled to attend board meetings and will remain an influential voice at Old Trafford.
Like many distinguished former members of staff, there will be times when he pops into United’s Carrington training centre to catch up with some old faces.
Then, in his role as a club ambassador, he will inevitably be asked about his prickly relationship with the England international at corporate events.
Rooney’s understandable fear is that Ferguson will open up some old wounds with another throw-away comment.
When he recovers from a hip operation scheduled for this month, Sir Alex will also be watching the progress of David Moyes’ team from a cushioned seat in the directors’ box.
So the United striker wants a fresh start, a new challenge with Chelsea as Jose Mourinho prepares to make a renewed bid.
Chelsea’s players are openly talking to each other about Rooney’s potential arrival at Stamford Bridge and the idea of him playing for Mourinho has been met with universal dressing room approval.
They recognise a player who needs a new challenge, a chance to revitalise his career at another club after nine incredibly successful years at Old Trafford.
It is something Rooney has re-iterated during the telephone conversations that have taken place between him, Moyes and vice-chairman Ed Woodward in the past few days.
United flatly rejected Chelsea’s opening offer — £23million plus £2.5m in various performance-related clauses — submitted by chief executive Ron Gourlay last week.
They will match his £240,000-a-week wages at Old Trafford and give him a five-year contract if United finally agree to his sale.
Despite the instant rejection of their opening offer last week, Chelsea are undeterred. Their financial ceiling is around £30m all-in for a player they believe has five years left at the very highest level. Rooney shares the same view, convinced that he will still be a top player in the Champions League and Barclays Premier League even when he reaches the age of 32.
He was angry last season when Ferguson became obsessed with ‘the numbers’ — the statistical analysis based on every player’s fitness and conditioning.
Rooney’s wife Coleen shops in Waitrose near their home in Alderley Edge virtually every day, filling the family’s trolley with fresh fruit, lean meat and brown pasta. Rooney maintains that he is near the top group, something Moyes appeared to confirm at the start of pre-season when he claimed ‘the team tell me it’s the best shape they have seen him for five years’.
And during his meeting with Ferguson before the end of last season, Rooney reminded the former United manager of his record at the club.
He is sixth in the list of all-time goalscorers in the Premier League behind Alan Shearer, Andy Cole, Thierry Henry, Robbie Fowler and Frank Lampard.
Rooney has scored 141 goals for United in 278 Premier League appearances since his move from Everton in 2004 — as good as a goal every other game.
In the Champions League he has also scored more goals (27) than Robin van Persie (21), the man who Ferguson admitted was his ‘No 1 striker’ at United before their clash with Real Madrid in the Bernabeu last February.
Rooney was used in seven different positions — six outfield and one as substitute — last season. In Ferguson’s final two games, against Swansea and West Bromwich Albion, he was left out of the matchday squad completely.
That humiliation added to his resentment and Rooney’s position remains unchanged: he wants to leave Old Trafford.
He yearns for the days when he was the main man, looking back to his first season up front for United after the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo after defeat in the 2009 Champions League final.
Rooney assumed responsibility, leading the line for United, scoring 26 goals in the Premier League and 34 in all competitions.
He was so crucial to Ferguson that he played on one leg against Bayern Munich in the Champions League quarter-final in April 2010 after damaging ankle ligaments in a clash with Mario Gomez in the Allianz Arena.
Those days are long gone, even though Moyes has told Rooney he can immortalise himself in United’s history if he stays at Old Trafford.
He has won five Premier League titles and the Champions League since signing in 2004, but his ambitions stretch beyond Old Trafford now.
Rooney wants to work with Mourinho, believing him to be a manager who will cherish his ability and build a new Chelsea team around him. There are many who sense a player who has lost his love for the game, but he is still the last off the training pitches when he is with United or England.
He has been working solidly at United’s Carrington training ground since his return from the club’s pre-season tour, but his future remains uncertain.
His relationship with Moyes is cordial, certainly better than one could expect after their acrimonious libel case, involving comments in a Rooney autobigraphy, was resolved in 2008.
Moyes is willing to work with Rooney and has urged him to reconsider his options before United return to England from their pre-season tour.
Rooney has listened... but he can still hear Ferguson’s voice in the corridors of power.
Shit forgot about that, you're right, screw Zlatan, we want la decima!
They are in for Suarez right now