Rooney trains as storm clouds gather

The heavy rain clouds at Carrington this morning provided a fitting backdrop to Wayne Rooney’s appearance at training for Manchester United.

Rooney has been the subject of intense speculation for 48 hours since news of his desire to leave the Red Devils first became a matter of public conjecture.

Since then it has been made apparent that Rooney will not sign a contract extension once his current one expires in 2012 and that Manchester City could be a destination for the striker, who celebrates his 25th birthday on Saturday.

Alex Ferguson’s press conference ahead of United’s Champions League clash with Bursaspor, which is due to be held this afternoon, is likely to offer the first public pronouncement on the situation.

In the meantime, Rooney went through his paces at Carrington wearing a black hat to keep his head dry but otherwise joining in as normal with the training ground banter that tends to mark such sessions.