Madrid Weigh Up Move For Rooney

Real Madrid's director general, Jorge Valdano, has confirmed his admiration for Wayne Rooney but suggested there may be no place for him in the current team.

Rooney sparked talk of a Manchester United exit last week when he contradicted Sir Alex Ferguson's claims that he had an ankle injury, and it is said he is now refusing to discuss a contract extension.

Rooney, 24, has just 18 months to run on his current deal and, amid claims he has fallen out with Ferguson, it is reported that United could cash in.

United took the unusual step of dismissing the stories on Sunday - "To suggest Wayne Rooney will be sold in January is nonsense," a club spokesman said - but the reports have intensified across the English press on Monday morning.

Madrid have long been linked with a move for Rooney, with former president Ramon Calderon claiming in March that his successor, Florentino Perez, is "obsessed" with the England international, while Cristiano Ronaldo has said he would be a "sensation" at the Bernabeu.

Jose Mourinho has talked down the prospect of a new signing in January despite strong links with Athletic Bilbao forward Fernando Llorente, but he is known to be keen to add further options in attack with only Gonzalo Higuain and Karim Benzema as traditional strikers.

Valdano told Telemadrid: "I really like Llorente and Rooney, too, but the question is, if Rooney comes, who do we take out of the team? We have a brilliant strikeforce in Ronaldo and Higuain and now we have added Ozil and Di Maria to complement them."

An exchange deal involving former United target Karim Benzema has been suggested in the press as a possible solution, but Valdano indicated that the striker has a future at the Bernabeu: "There are some very young players at the club with a lot to prove - for example Benzema. Maybe we have a solution for the next ten years."

Source: Soccernet