Sir Alex Ferguson has again moved to dismiss stories in the paper this week that Wayne Rooney is set to leave Manchester United.

Two newspapers have been banned from Ferguson’s press conferences as a result of the reports, with some bizarrely suggesting that the relationship between the manager and player had deteriorated so much that they don’t even talk to each other on the training ground.

Fergie has said that there is no truth in the stories and the only reason why they’re written is because Rooney is England’s biggest star and it sells papers.

“It’s because he’s a stellar England player,” said Ferguson. “He’s the Gascoigne, the Bobby Charlton. He’s the best English player. You have to contend with that being news and the need to sell papers. For them to suggest I don’t talk to him on the training ground is absolute bollocks. It’s nonsense. It’s an insult to me too but it sells newspapers, what can you do? There’s no issues at all. It’s not about one person. The issue was that Welbeck was better at that job against people robbing him of the ball. He’s very good at that – the best we’ve got.”