WAYNE ROONEY HAS denied submitting a transfer request in 2013 in a new documentary celebrating his achievements for England.
The 29-year-old, who recently became his country’s all-time leading goalscorer, endured a turbulent relationship with former United manager Sir Alex Ferguson, and asked to leave the club in 2010 only to sign a new contract.
The pair clashed again three years later during the manager’s final season in charge at Old Trafford as Rooney found himself in and out of the team.
Following his final home match in charge of the club, Ferguson claimed the forward had once again demanded to leave, but the former Everton man has now given his side of events.
“I went in to see him (Ferguson) and just said ‘if you are not going to play me then it might be better for me to move on’,” he states in the BBC documentary to mark him becoming England’s all-time top goalscorer.
“Then, all of a sudden, it was all over the press that I had put a transfer request in which I never did. I don’t know what happened, why that came out that way.”
Despite the differences between the two men, Rooney still holds Ferguson in high regard and says he was the sole reason behind his decision to move to United back in 2004.
“He was the reason why I wanted to join Man United, to work with him,” he continued.
“In my eyes he’s the best manager of all-time. For him to be interested in me and wanting me to play under him, there was nowhere else I was going to go.”
The documentary, Rooney – The Man Behind The Goals, will be shown on BBC One on 5 October at 9pm.
