Former Manchester United defender Gary Neville has said that striker Wayne Rooney should consider staying at the club after persistent rumours that the 27-year-old will leave Old Trafford this summer.

This is not the first time Rooney has handed a transfer request to the club. He did the same a few years back, but he was persuaded by Sir Alex Ferguson and others at Manchester United to stay. He performed a U-turn by signing a new five-year contract 24 hours later. However, this time he seems intent on leaving United after feeling that he may not be as important to the club as he once used to be.

The arrival of Robin van Persie from Arsenal has significantly changed the mood of Rooney, which was evident throughout last season. It was made even worse by the impressive form shown by the Dutchman, as he almost single-handedly led United to the title. Rooney, on the other hand, looked disjointed for most of the season and he ended up scoring just under 20 goals. He has been linked with the likes of Chelsea, PSG, and Arsenal. Most recently, Barcelona have also joined in the chase for the striker who will cost around £ 30 million, though the latest odds show that Rooney is expected to stay at United.

Neville, though, reckons that United is the best place for the England striker,

“I played with Wayne Rooney for many, many years. He’s a fantastic football player. I’ve seen David Beckham, and other big players, leave Manchester United and it really is something that comes down to the individual and the club. I’ve seen Ryan Giggs at 27 years old get linked to Inter, Juventus and AC Milan and stay. I’ve seen David Beckham get linked to Barcelona and Real Madrid and leave. I’ve seen both ways succeed,” said Neville. He has also said that Rooney should take example from Ryan Giggs.