Moyes won’t press Rooney

David Moyes has told Wayne Rooney he will not attempt to convince him to stay at Manchester United as the striker prepares to hand in a transfer request at the club.

It is thought that Rooney is close to officially demanding to leave Old Trafford after Chelsea had two bids – the latest of which was worth €34.62m – rejected for the England international.

Rooney pulled out of last night’s 1-1 draw with AIK Solna in Stockholm, citing a shoulder injury, but the saga over his future is set to rumble on.

And Moyes pointedly said he does not feel the need to convince any of his players that they should stay at the reigning English champions.

“I don’t know, I’ve not asked him,” said Moyes when asked what Rooney had made of Chelsea’s second bid being rejected.

“Will I try and persuade him to stay? You don’t need to convince anybody to stay at Manchester United.”

But the Scot insisted Rooney’s shoulder injury was genuine.

“I don’t think it will keep him out very long. He fell on it the other day (against Real Betis).”

Moyes was more positive regarding reinforcements arriving before the start of the season, although he would only say ‘I can’t talk about it’, when asked whether there would be a third bid for Barcelona’s Cesc Fabregas.

“There will be (signings) and they will come,” he said.

But this was a strange night when events off the field were far more important than on.

Rooney’s future hangs over the club, and as Robin Van Persie seemed rather out of sorts with just five days before the Community Shield against Wigan that will be a real concern for Moyes.

There were also injuries to Jonny Evans and Nani, with the former’s seeming more serious.

“Jonny got kneed in the ankle and it just swelled up a little bit. He was hobbling around with that” said Moyes.

“Nani felt his groin tightening up in the first-half so there wasn’t any real need to take a big risk. We are getting near the end of pre-season. We are fine, moving along nicely.”

Yet that may be wishful thinking. United have won just two of their six pre-season games under Moyes, who is still working under the shadow of Alex Ferguson.

And a row that began as Ferguson’s farewell present – a confirmation that Rooney had asked to leave following the final match of last season against Swansea – has now dogged Moyes for almost three months.

The bald facts are that there have been two bids from Chelsea, and repeated statements by United that they will not sell. Rooney’s camp have let it be known that the player is worried about fan reaction to him and an official transfer request is seemingly the only way to end the impasse.

Nani impressed until a hamstring injury forced his early withdrawal in a low-key match in a half-full stadium. Yet those who were there came to life when Robin Quaison turned Nemanja Vidic and found the top corner from 25 yards just after the interval.

United equalised shortly after, though, as Angelo Henriquez turned home Wilfried Zaha’s low cross.