Blues hover over ‘injured’ Rooney

United rejected a bid of £25m for want-away England striker

Wayne Rooney has pulled out of Manchester United’s pre-season trip to Sweden with an injured shoulder as uncertainty continues to swirl over the striker’s future at the club.

Just hours after United confirmed they had “immediately rejected” a second offer from Chelsea for the 27-year-old — thought to be for around £25 million (€29m) plus add-ons — it was announced that Rooney would not be travelling to Stockholm to play AIK Fotboll tonight.

The club said Rooney had injured a shoulder in the behind-closed-doors game against Real Betis on Saturday but that has caused inevitable speculation that it was a convenient injury while his future remains uncertain — something United strongly deny.

Some reports state Rooney is now considering making an official transfer request though it is unclear if that would help his cause, having already told the club he wants a move — and it would further alienate United fans.

A United spokesman said: “A bid was received yesterday and immediately rejected. Our position remains that he is not for sale.”

United manager David Moyes insisted Rooney’s injury was not serious, and there are other matches coming up, including Rio Ferdinand’s testimonial on Friday and the Community Shield against Wigan at Wembley on Sunday.

“Wayne hurt his shoulder in a fall during a match on Saturday,” Moyes said. “It’s not too serious and I don’t expect it to keep him out for too long.

“I’m disappointed he’s missing because we were keen to get him back involved and ready to play.”

Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho has made the England striker his top transfer target and Rooney told former United manager Alex Ferguson last season that he wanted a move. Moyes has repeatedly stressed that Rooney is not for sale. Rooney himself however was unimpressed by the manager’s remarks that he would effectively have to be an understudy to main striker Robin van Persie.

This is the second injury to have affected Rooney in pre-season. The player flew home from Thailand earlier in July with a hamstring injury.

Ferdinand is not in the squad to go to Stockholm either and Nemanja Vidic will skipper the side in Sweden after missing the first leg of the tour due to a sciatica problem, while Portuguese winger Bebe, signed for £7.4m in 2010 but yet to start a game in the Premier League, is also in the squad.

Meanwhile, United midfielder Darren Fletcher has banned himself from the club’s Carrington training ground until he has beaten the illness which has blighted him for the past three years.

The Scotland skipper has played just 13 games since announcing he was taking an extended break from football in November 2011 when diagnosed with ulcerative colitis.

The 29-year-old has undergone numerous operations and been put on a strict dietary regime in a bid to correct his stomach condition and allow him to resume playing.

But a definitive date for his comeback still eludes him and his medical advisors. Now Fletcher has made the decision to stay away from Moyes’ squad until he is ready to return permanently.

He said: “I’m staying away from the training ground right now just because it is difficult being there when you are not actually training. I’ve spoken to the manager, he seems great and we have discussed the plan going forward. I just can’t wait to go back when I’m ready to get back training, not just plodding around no use to anyone.”

Fletcher last went under the surgeon’s knife in January but while a timescale has not yet been placed on his return to action, he believes there is finally light at the end of the tunnel.

“It’s been very frustrating,” he said. “I’m still in the hands of the surgeons at the moment — I’ve not actually started training yet.

“I’ve been doing my own little bit in the gym, which is keeping me ticking along nicely and I’m waiting for the surgeon to give me the go ahead to join in training.

“I don’t have a timescale for when I will be back playing really. Hopefully it is not going to be too far away in the distant future.”