Rooney and Bale the centre of big Sunday transfer rumours
Published:Wayne Rooney looks set to sign a new deal to keep him at Manchester United – but he may be forced to take a pay cut if he wants to put pen to paper.
According to the Sunday Mirror, Sir Alex Ferguson is determined to keep the England man who is coming into his “mature years”.
However, the only quotes they have from the Old Trafford boss regarding a new contract for Rooney aren’t exactly conclusive.
Ferguson said: “There is absolutely no issue about a new contract for Wayne”.
“When it is time to renegotiate with Wayne it will be done.”
It doesn’t exactly sound like the words of a manager desperate to get one of his star players on an extended contract.
Meanwhile, the Mail on Sunday go one further and argue that a new deal will be offered to Rooney – but only if he takes a pay cut.
They don’t offer any quotes or any actual evidence to back up their claims but they reckon that the Manchester United money men will want Rooney to get his wages chopped as he is no longer an automatic choice for the big games.
Finally, (it’s the last bit on Rooney – promise) the Sunday Times believe that Pep Guardiola could be interested in snapping up Rooney when he takes over at Bayern Munich in the summer.
We’re back with the Sunday Mirror for the final piece of gossip, with the red top believing that Real Madrid are preparing a £110million package to land Gareth Bale.
That figure is reached by combining the supposed £60million it would take to tempt Tottenham Hotspur to sell and a five-year deal worth £10million-a-year to the Welshman.
It’s not too much of a stretch to assume that Real will be after Bale but, with Spurs looking set for Champions League qualification, don’t be surprised to see Bale give it another year in north London.
