Putting an end to all the transfer speculations around Wayne Rooney, Manchester United manager David Moyes on Friday said that the England striker is not on sale.
"Wayne is not for sale," Moyes said during his first press conference as United manager. "He's a Manchester United player and he will remain a Manchester United player."
Rooney has been linked to several big clubs, including Barcelona, Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea ever since the reports of his showdown with former manager Sir Alex Ferguson surfaced.
"We have spoken several times," Moyes said. "Whatever happened before with Wayne we are working together now."
The Scotish manager went on to say that Rooney is as committed as ever and will not be sold.
"I've seen a glint in his eye, he looks happy and he looks like he is going to knuckle down," Moyes explained. "I'm looking forward to working with him and he won't be for sale."
Rooney is believed to have met Sir Alex Ferguson before the close of last season to inform the manager of his desire to leave. In fact, Ferguson claimed that the England striker had requested for a move, which the latter denied.
However, Moyes played down the whole episode, saying that it has no bearing on how matters stand now.
"There was a private meeting between Wayne and Sir Alex," he said. "I am moving on now. I don't know what was said in that private meeting. As far as I am concerned, I am looking forward to getting Wayne Rooney to the right level. He has come back in good shape and he's excellent in the training sessions."
Moyes also praised Rooney by comparing him to Manchester United legends of the past.
"I think if I was Wayne, you would look at the legends who have played at this club," Moyes said. "You see their pictures at the training ground - George Best, Bobby Charlton, Roy Keane, I could go on. And I thought to myself, Wayne is not too far away from that. It isn't too difficult to get the goals and if he could do that, he would be seen in the same light as those people."
The former Everton manager insisted that he would exert every effort in getting Rooney to that status.
"What we're looking to do is see how we can get Wayne Rooney scoring those goals, which will challenge the likes of Bobby Charlton and Denis Law's numbers," he said. "We are working and trying everything to get Wayne to the level where we think he should be."
