Reality strikes as United slam the door on Rooney's £50m dream move

THE DOOR has been firmly slammed shut on Wayne Rooney's 'dream' move to Manchester United for 12 months at least - and not even the likely departures of Nicky Butt and Diego Forlan will resurrect it.

Rather than warn Alex Ferguson that sales will be required to fund a move for England's Euro 2004 striking sensation, Old Trafford chief executive David Gill views his recent comments on the teenager as putting an end to a process United had not started.

While Ferguson is understandably a huge admirer of the 18-year-old Evertonian, at no stage has he, or anyone else from the United camp, claimed a formal bid was about to be lodged.

And, having splashed out £26 million on new players - including striking duo Louis Saha and Alan Smith - in the last six months alone, Gill clearly believes United have met Ferguson's transfer demands and spent enough.

"At the end of last season we identified the need to sign a striker - that was Alan Smith from Leeds," said Gill.

"We also identified a left-back - that was Gabriel Heinze. We've completed the task with those two signings.

"One of the reasons we run a successful operation is because we operate within strict financial parameters. We cannot afford to spend £45 million or £50 million on one player.

"Our priority now is to concentrate on exits - then that's it."

It had been widely thought Ferguson would be given the green light to pursue Rooney should he be able to raise significant sums from player sales.

This option has now been ruled out and in any case, the Old Trafford hierarchy are aware that the fees they could receive for Butt and Forlan will not come anywhere near the £30million they believe Rooney may eventually be allowed to leave Goodison Park for.

United know Butt will command a decent sum from Newcastle or any of the other suitors who have enquired about the England midfielder, but probably nowhere near the £6million that has been suggested in some quarters, while it may require a 'Fabien Barthez-style' pay-off to get rid of Forlan.

After two-and-a-half years of persevering with the Uruguayan, it appears Ferguson has now accepted that his £7million signing from Independiente is not going to reach the levels required of a Red Devil and buyers are now actively being sought.

The problem for United is that Forlan's relatively large salary is likely to put off potential suitors if they also have to pay a transfer fee, so, even if the 17-goal forward excels for his country in this month's Copa America, the club will have to be flexible in handling his potential departure.

With two years of his present deal still to run, Forlan could earn the best part of £3.5million by remaining at Old Trafford, a situation which could force the club into the kind of pay-off that saw Barthez net a staggering £2.4million before the eccentric French keeper would agree a free transfer to Marseille.