Injured Rooney may not be fit for premiership start

WAYNE ROONEY faces a race against time to be fit for the start of the Premiership season after he was injured in the Portugal.

Chelsea and Manchester United were said to have been considering transfer bids for the 18-year-old Everton star, who lit up the Euro 2004 finals with four goals.

Hospital X-rays showed he had fractured a metatarsal bone in his right foot, much like David Beckham did before the 2002 World Cup.

Sven-Goran Eriksson revealed it would take around six weeks for the striker to recover, with the start of the new season now just seven weeks away on August 14.

Everton will be hoping Rooney is in their line-up for their opening Premiership game of the season at home to Arsenal. The injury could actually help their cause for clubs would be taking a risk if they splashed out more than £25million to sign a player who could not pass a medical with an injury.