London : Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney is facing a players’ revolt over his attempt to force a way out of.
Rooney, a target for Chelsea, was due to fly with his team-mates to Stockholm on Monday for a return to action in a friendly against local side AIK on Tuesday night.
But, hours before the flight, he was pulled from the travelling party because of a minor shoulder injury suffered in training last week and aggravated in a behind-closed-doors friendly against Real Betis at the weekend.
According to reports in the UK website Mirror Sport, the tensions are running high within the United squad, with senior players such as Rio Ferdinand, Ryan Giggs and Patrice Evra expressing their anger at the way the situation has developed.
And it seems all parties believed it was wise not to ask Rooney to take part in Tuesday’s match, given the convenience of a minor injury, when there is so much unrest between him and the rest of the players.
Sources close to the Old Trafford club have explained there is an increasing antagonism towards the England striker, with senior players “unhappy” at his stance, which they see as a blatant attempt to strengthen his own position without any regard for the unsettling effect it is having on the team. It was just the latest chapter in another crazy day of the Rooney saga.
Monday began with a face-to-face meeting between the player and United manager, during which Rooney told him for a second time that he wants to leave – and that he wants to know how much the champions will accept to sell him.
