Yorke: Give Roo a cuddle

Dwight Yorke says a more conciliatory approach could keep Wayne Rooney at Manchester United, and that the player should not be for sale at any price.

Yorke has come to know the England forward very well since returning to Old Trafford in an off-field role, but accepts Rooney leaving is a possibility.

“I know Wazza, I speak to Wazza intimately,” Yorke said. “I spent some time around him and the guy just wants to play football. He doesn’t feel he’s getting the playing time at United that he deserves and if that has happened, someone of his calibre, someone of his quality, you’re coming into your best form, the best time of your playing career [at the age of 27].

“All he just wants to do is play, and be loved and be told he’s great. You can’t be one of the best players to ever play at United in the last five years, like he’s been before [Robin] van Persie last year.

“He’s been our best player by a mile. Suddenly he hasn’t been able to play in key games and that has sparked the whole thing. But the lad just wants to play.

“I think that he’s at, in my opinion, the best club and Wazza, if he does go to any other club, that would be a regret, in my opinion of course.

“He may not see it that way, he’ll feel very strongly in his heart, that he’ll feel like he needs a change, but we tried to tell him that this is the best place.

“I feel that Wazza has a lot to offer still, at 27 as I said, you just need him to have that confidence back, that sort of swagger that he has, just put your arm around him because he’s one of those type of players.

“Part of me is telling me that he would [go], and part of me is telling me that David Moyes and Manchester United have to do everything to keep him.

“If they do that, and they keep him, that’s great, but I know there is half of him that wants to leave as well.

“What I am trying to say is that Wayne Rooney should not be for sale at any cost right now. Without Wayne Rooney being at that football club, United will find it very difficult, not only in the Premier League but in Europe. That is the kind of value that you put on Wayne now. I have a little bit of insight without going into too much detail but the boy just wants to be let feel he can play football. Let him get on with it and go out and express himself. We are talking about a kid who is in his prime.”

Jamie Carragher, meanwhile, believes that Jose Mourinho would not have commented so publicly on Rooney had Alex Ferguson still been Manchester United manager.

“You probably could argue these are the things Manchester United have to put up with now. It’s changed now Alex Ferguson’s not there. I certainly don’t think he’d have come out with those comments about Rooney if Alex Ferguson was still there.

“With the change at Manchester United you’re going to see more and more of this type of thing. That wouldn’t have happened before at Manchester United.”

* Sky kicks off its biggest ever Premier League season with live coverage of Swansea v Man United on Sky Sports 1, Sky 2 and Pick TV on August 17.