LONDON: Reports that the England striker Wayne Rooney has signed a record-breaking new contract with Manchester United are premature, club sources said yesterday.
The Sun on Sunday newspaper reported that Rooney had signed a new four-and-a-half year deal to stay at Old Trafford, worth £70m ($117m) which would make him the best-paid player in the Premier League.
“There is no deal, which is why we haven’t announced it,” a United spokesman said.
Negotiations are believed to be ongoing.
The 28-year-old Rooney has been the subject of transfer speculation since the end of last season and Chelsea admitted an interest in signing him, but were told he was not for sale
The retention of Rooney would be a major boost for United manager David Moyes who has endured a difficult first season in charge with the champions languishing in seventh place in the Premier League.
Meanwhile, Bayern Munich’s Switzerland midfielder Xherdan Shaqiri will miss next week’s Champions League, last 16 match at Arsenal with a thigh injury he picked up in the Bundesliga on Saturday, the German champions said.
Shaqiri scored twice for runaway league leaders Bayern in a 4-0 win at home to Freiburg but had to come off just past the hour mark because of the injury.
“A post-match medical showed the player ruptured a muscle in the back of his right thigh (and) will now definitely miss the Champions League round of 16 first leg away to Arsenal on Wednesday and the following Sunday’s Bundesliga trip to Hanover,” Bayern said on their website (www.fcbayern.de).
The injury is a blow for Bayern coach Pep Guardiola who is already without France winger Franck Ribery. AGENCIES
