Football Talk - Real Madrid reveal Rooney admiration - 18/10/10
Real Madrid's director general, Jorge Valdano, has revealed his admiration for Wayne Rooney but admitted there may be no place for him in the current team.
Rooney prompted talk of a Manchester United departure last week when he contradicted Sir Alex Ferguson's claims that he had an ankle injury, and it is said he is now broken off contract talks. 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 be prepared to sell in January rather risk him leave for nothing in 18 months time.
United issued a statement on Sunday denying reports that Rooney could be sold- "To suggest Wayne Rooney will be sold in January is nonsense," a club spokesman said. Madrid have long been linked with a move for Rooney, with former president Ramon Calderon claiming earlier this year that his successor, Florentino Perez, is "obsessed" with the England international, while Cristiano Ronaldo has said he would be a "sensation" at the Bernabeu.
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 mooted 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, he said. Maybe we have a solution for the next ten years."
