Veteran Man U players unhappy with Rooney 'putting himself before club'

Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney, who is currently a target for Chelsea, is making senior pros such as Ryan Giggs and Rio Ferdinand unhappy over the unsettling effect saga he is having on the squad as a whole.

According to the Mirror, hours before a flight to Stockholm for a friendly against local side AIK, Rooney was pulled from the travelling party because of a minor shoulder injury suffered in training last week and aggravated in a behind-closed-doors friendly against Real Betis at the weekend.

Sources close to the Old Trafford club have explained there is an increasing antagonism towards the England striker, with senior players unhappy at his stance, which they see as a blatant attempt to strengthen his own position without any regard for the unsettling effect it is having on the team, the report said.

Chelsea had a second bid turned down at the weekend and are preparing a third offer, but with United loathe to sell to one of their direct rivals for the title, the Londoners may have to break their own transfer record to get him, the report added.