Louis van Gaal: Wayne Rooney can't be my top striker at Manchester United forever

Wayne Rooney is now 30, and has been told to drop deeper to prolong his career

LOUIS VAN GAAL believes Wayne Rooney’s days as Manchester United’s main striker are numbered.

Captain Rooney turned 30 yesterday and manager Van Gaal fears for his future because he thinks forwards decline at an earlier age than midfielders.

And he reckons Rooney may have to drop back into midfield if he is to emulate veterans such as Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes, who carried on playing for United until they were 40 and 38.

“As a striker, it is always more difficult because your freshness as a player is not so easy to maintain,” he said. “As a striker, you get a lot of kicks. As a striker, you need always your highest speed.

 

“In midfield you can read the game and that is why you have more space to play football. You don’t need to be so speedy.”

But Manchester City boss Manuel Pellegrini reckons Rooney has at least five more years left in him.

“Players can continue without any problem until they are 35 or 36,” he said.

“I admire Rooney, the same as with Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard. I admire that they demonstrate what they can do over a long period.”