Manchester United currently look like slaves to Wayne Rooney’s financial ambition. In their current position, United are scared to lose one of their best players, and Wayne knows it. The situation has evolved to the extent that Rooney can essentially name his price and Manchester United will be obligated to pay the ransom. But the question remains whether Rooney will be able to deliver a lot better and prove he is worth the landmark deal coming his way, to help build the team around him to bring back silverware to Old Trafford.

Or would it be better for United to sell Rooney and use the money to help buy several players to rebuild the team under Moyes or a new manager?

As far as the contract negotiations are concerned, Rooney is playing United like a fiddle. By letting his deal run towards its summer 2015 expiry, he’s provoking Manchester United by not signing the extension, making the club becomes more eager to tie him down – by any means necessary. However, the club has every right to demand a lot more in return for the money they are about to pay.

If a poll is to be conducted, has Rooney been Manchester United’s player of the season? Perhaps, with Adnan Janujaz, that seems to have been the truth. But if compared to the previous seasons, this is the worst Manchester United team performing in a decade. Presently, he’s excelling at a club that sits in seventh position in the league currently in a mid-table side. If he was not standing out at United, it would be remarkable.

The Premier League is currently flourishing with as many top players as it had in recent seasons with Luis Suarez, Sergio Aguero and Eden Hazard performing and improving tremendously well every week. It looks a joy-ride watching them score or assist in almost every match. Those three in particular are leading their sides towards fulfilling their club objectives.

Could the same be said about Wayne Rooney at present? Not a chance. Critics are keen to stress that United’s brilliant forwards are being inhibited by David Moyes. That seems more of an excuse than a reality. Rather, the truly great find a way to ease the pressure of the man in the dug-out by proving themselves on the pitch, where it matters.

Manchester United are safeguarding the future of a man who has twice held the club to ransom and who has tactically admitted that his ambition is breaking Sir Bobby Charlton’s scoring record, which seems entirely selfish. Traces of his ill behavior revealed themselves after he missed the starting spot in last season’s Champions League draw against Real Madrid, which resulted in his subsequent performance dropping.

On Sunday, Rooney was no better than any other Fulham player and never cut the figure of a man capable of turning the game in his team’s favor. He clipped a few passes over the heads of the Fulham defense to little avail and can even consider himself unlucky not to have scored. But he lacks that certain spark that comes with the prime performers – that cunning intelligence and imagination.

The contract coming his way looks the best, and last, in his career. The huge amount of money that Manchester United is planning to spend on Rooney might be better invested elsewhere. Wayne Rooney has much to prove if he fancies himself as a £300,000 per-week footballer.

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