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Mancini calms Rooney talk

London - Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini has moved to end speculation linking want-away Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney to the club.

VIDEO: Sir Alex Ferguson confirms Rooney's leaving

GALLERY: The wrath of Sir Alex Ferguson

The English Premier League is abuzz with the news that Rooney, considered England's most talented footballer, wants to leave Old Trafford.

With Rooney having only 18 months left on his existing contract, United will now likely be forced to sell their prized asset - worth around 50 million pounds - as quickly as possible before his value depreciates.

If he is not sold in the January transfer window, he could, under FIFA regulations, technically buy out the remaining year of his contract next summer for around five million pounds, leaving United with nothing.

City have emerged as the favoured destination for Rooney, but Mancini insists the move is not on.

"No. Never," said Mancini when asked if contact has been made with Rooney.

Mancini echoed the thoughts of Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho, who said Tuesday he believes Rooney will ultimately stay at the club he joined from Everton as an 18-year-old.

"Rooney is a great player but I think he'll stay at United," said Mancini. "He's a good player, he's an important player for United."

Pressed on whether he would be keen to sign the striker, Mancini added: "He is a United player. It's not correct to speak about that situation.

"I have respect for him, for Ferguson, for United. I want to speak only about my players."

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger also played down any link to the Gunners.

"It's a story I'm happy to read in the newspapers but I'm happy to keep out of it. That means we are not buying anybody, we have enough strikers," said the Frenchman.

After days of raging speculation about the 24-year-old's future, Sir Alex Ferguson broke his silence on the saga Tuesday by announcing that the club's most important player wanted out of Old Trafford.

"I had a meeting with him. He intimated to me in his own way that he wanted to leave," Ferguson said at an extraordinary press conference ahead of United's Champions League match with Turkish side Bursaspor on Wednesday.

Ferguson, describing himself as "shocked and disappointed" by Rooney's position, said he was unable to provide an explanation for the player's desire to move after six successful years at the club.

"We're as bemused as anyone can be because we can't quite understand why he'd want to leave a club that no-one can deny is the most successful in British football.

"I can't answer your questions about why is he doing it. You can speculate, you can have opinions, it won't matter a dickie bird. Simply because the player says he is adamant. He wants to leave."

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