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Rooney not for sale - United chief (go back to the homepage) Manchester United chief executive David Gill has insisted that the club's new owners, the Glazer family, would not sell star asset Wayne Rooney at any price. "Very few top-class footballers leave Manchester United and I do not think the Glazers would be tempted to get an instant return on their money if someone made a huge bid for him," he told the BBC on Sunday. Gill also revealed that manager Alex Ferguson was on the look out for one more big signing this summer. Goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar and South Korean midfield star Park Ji-Sung are new additions in the close season, with Real Madrid's England striker Michael Owen consistently linked to Old Trafford in the tabloid media. "There is definitely no amount of money that would buy Wayne Rooney," he told BBC Radio Five Live's Sportsweek programme. "The Glazers understand sport. Success on the pitch drives everything. "If we do not have a successful team on the pitch, what we want to do commercially will not work. "We fought long and hard to get Wayne from Everton last summer. We were delighted with the purchase and we know he can only get better." "With the loose ends of his $1 billion Red Devils takeover now complete, Malcolm Glazer sent sons Joel, Avi and Bryan on a largely successful charm offensive this week, taking in the Premier League, Football Association, Sports Minister Richard Caborn, Gill and his staff, plus a flying visit to meet Sir Alex Ferguson and the United squad at their Portuguese training camp. "The discussions with Alex and Carlos (Quieroz) as to where the team needs strengthening took place before the takeover," said Gill. "By and large, the team is in good shape but we have already completed two key acquisitions and there is one other place we are looking at, for which money will be made available as the Glazers have made clear." Unless Ferguson opts to offload one of his strikers - which could open the door to a move for Owen - logic suggests he is attempting to strengthen further in midfield, with Lyon's Michael Essien again being linked with a transfer to Old Trafford despite long-term interest from Chelsea. Gill was not prepared to say which area Ferguson was looking at. Neither, after being stung so badly earlier this year after stating everyone at United was "sackable" was he willing to make any comment on the manager's future as he moves on to a one-year rolling contract. |