United complete Rooney signing

Manchester United have completed the signing of England striker Wayne Rooney from Everton.

The 18-year-old is now registered as a United player after he passed a medical with the club earlier today and all the details were finally agreed.

The clubs reached “outline agreement” earlier today and the deal was completed with four and a half hours to go before the closure of the transfer window.

Earlier, United had announced they had reached an “outline agreement” for the transfer of Wayne Rooney from Everton.

United’s statement to the Stock Exchange read: “Manchester United plc has reached an outline agreement with Everton FC for the transfer of the registration of Wayne Rooney, subject to his successful completion of a medical.

“Details of the agreement will be announced when all terms are complete.”

Rooney, who had also been targeted by Newcastle, was undergoing a medical at United’s Carrington training complex following tests at a Manchester hospital earlier this morning.

However, the two clubs have yet to officially confirm a transfer fee – United having increased their bid to £25m (€37m) over the weekend.

Everton spokesman Ian Ross said: “I must stress that no deal has yet been done. We have always said we are looking for the best available deal for the club and supporters – and that is what we intend to do.”

Rooney is currently out of action after breaking his foot at Euro 2004. But that would not appear to have deterred United from getting their man, who arrived at the training complex with United’s club doctor Mike Stone.

Rooney was not in the stands at Old Trafford when Everton drew with United yesterday but arrived in Manchester less than 24 hours later.

He hit out at Everton at the weekend for the response to his transfer request last week and said he was “gutted” at the situation at the club.

Fans at Goodison jeered the absent teenager during their team’s 2-1 win against West Brom after he demanded a move.

Newcastle bid £20m (€30m) and then £23.5m (€35m) for the Croxteth-born player who has scored 17 goals for the Toffees since arriving in the Premiership spectacularly two years ago.

But the departure of manager Bobby Robson yesterday, plus the fact the Magpies could only offer UEFA Cup football compared to the lure of Champions League action at Old Trafford, would appear to have swayed Rooney away from the north-east.

United failed with their first bid of £20m before increasing their offer over the weekend.

The teenager’s reputation – and consequently his transfer value – rocketed in the summer when he was the star of England’s otherwise unremarkable Euro 2004 campaign, until breaking the fifth metatarsal bone in his right foot in the quarter-final defeat against hosts Portugal.

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West Brom have completed their second signing of the day by picking up Romania international Cosmin Contra on a season-long loan from Atletico Madrid.

Under the deal, the Baggies will play the Spanish side a set fee each time he plays.

The 28-year-old right-back, who joined Atletico from AC Milan for £5m (€7.4m) two years ago, follows Japan international Junichi Inamoto in moving to the Hawthorns today.

Contra played for Romania against England at Euro 2000 but it was not until the following season's UEFA Cup that he made his name internationally.

He was a key member of the Alaves team that made a shock run to the final of the competition where they were beaten 5-4 by Liverpool in extra-time.

A move to AC Milan followed but he was shipped out to Atletico after just one season.

But his chances of making an impact in the Spanish capital were hampered last season by an ankle ligament injury he suffered in pre-season training.

He underwent surgery in October but found it difficult to reclaim his place and he has joined West Brom on the same day as Inamoto.

The 24-year-old – currently injured – has joined on a two-and-a-half year contract after the Baggies agreed to pay his club Gamba Osaka £200,000 (€296,000) when he makes his first competitive appearance.

Albion manager Gary Megson told the club’s official website, www.wba.co.uk: “We’re delighted to have signed Junichi. He obviously isn’t fit at the moment but the reason we’ve done the deal now is we wouldn’t have been able to sign him when he is due to complete his recovery as the window would be closed.”

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Adrian Mutu is staying to fight for a place at Chelsea after being linked with a move to Fiorentina.

The Romanian has slipped down the pecking order at Stamford Bridge since Jose Mourinho took charge but his agent Andrea Pretti confirmed he would not be joining the newly-promoted Serie A side.

“Adrian is not leaving Chelsea, he will be staying for the next season. He is still happy there,” Pretti told BBC Sport.

Mutu joined the Blues from Parma in a £15.8m deal last summer and, after an excellent start, scoring four goals in his first three games – his form tailed off.