Rooney wants fresh challenge - Phelan

Former Manchester United assistant
manager Mike Phelan believes Wayne
Rooney could leave the club in
search of a new challenge.
The 27-year-old, who handed in a
transfer request last season, is
believed to be set for crunch talks
with new boss David Moyes in the
coming days, with the striker hoping to gain assurances about his
role in the first-team.
Phelan, who left United following Moyes' reshuffle of the backroom
staff, is adamant there is no better place for Rooney to ply his trade
than at Old Trafford, but admits he could seek a fresh challenge
away from the club.
"Wayne is
at the
greatest
club you
can be
at,"
Phelan
told BBC
Radio 5
Live. "Why
would you
want to
jeopardise
that?
"Unless
you want a
fresh
challenge
and you feel that challenge isn't being met at Manchester United.
"Every player is entitled to express a desire to want to move on. Any
player can do that at any time.
"In Wayne's case, in the first instance in 2010, he took a lot of
advice on that and got steered towards making that call but the
manager was terrific. He talked to him and asked why would he
want to leave the club?
"The press conference Sir Alex gave was a bit of a tear-jerker and it
was genuine. There was an element that he'd chased this boy and
paid big money. He was the boy that could change United."
Phelan expects the Red Devils to make a decision on Rooney's
future soon but admits he doesn't know whether he will stay or go.
"Somewhere down the line there will be words said, there will be
meetings and they will see if it's still alive and worth going for or
they'll call time on it," Phelan added. "He's come from a fresh-faced
17-year-old and has been under the spotlight for that time and he
has delivered. He might have hit a blip in certain performances but
he isn't the first or last player to have done that.
"You have to nurse them through it and hopefully he responds to
that. Sometimes you have to crack the whip with him. Wayne has
responded as well as he feels he can do for United, and what will
be will be - I haven't got a clue."