Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has confirmed that Wayne Rooney (12/1 Premier League top goalscorer) has signed a new five-year contract to put to an end a week of intense speculation surrounding his future.

The news will come as a huge relief to the United faithful who had resigned themselves to losing the England international after a statement on Wednesday said he would not be signing his new deal.

With his current contract set to expire in the summer of 2012, speculation he could leave Old Trafford was rampant in the media as they began to link the forward with the likes of Chelsea, Barcelona, Manchester City and Real Madrid.

While no club came forward with an actual offer there would have been no shortage of takers had the 24-year-old stuck to his word and left United.

A statement on Wednesday had indicated Rooney’s time at the club was up, with Ferguson revealing he had been told the striker wanted to leave at a press conference that night.

The United boss spent Thursday afternoon in a meeting with United chief executive David Gill in a bid to rectify the situation.

While no official statement was released by the club on Thursday night Gill did tell United fans to be patient.

Those who did keep the faith will have been rewarded by Friday’s news that Rooney has agreed a new five year contract which will keep him at the club until 2015.

“It’s been a difficult week, but the intensity of the coverage is what we expect at Manchester United.  I said to the boy that the door is always open and I’m delighted Wayne has agreed to stay,” Ferguson told United’s official website.

“Sometimes, when you’re in a club, it can be hard to realise just how big it is and it takes something like the events of the last few days to make you understand.  I think Wayne now understands what a great club Manchester United is.”

Ferguson’s comments come after a difficult week for the United (4/1 Premier League outright) manager, whose own future was questioned as part of the saga.

Reports had indicated that Rooney and Ferguson had fallen out over the striker’s phantom ankle injury, with the player having denied he ever had such a problem.

However, things appear to have been patched up with Rooney claiming Ferguson had played a big part in helping him to commit his future to United.

“I’m delighted to sign another deal at United. I’ve spoken to the manager and the owners and they’ve convinced me this where I belong,” said Rooney.

“I am signing a new deal in the absolute belief that the management, coaching staff, board and owners are totally committed to making sure United maintains its proud winning history – which is the reason I joined the club in the first place.”

Rooney went on to apologise to the United supporters for what had happened over the last week.

Some members of the Old Trafford faithful had shown their unhappiness at Rooney’s apparent decision to leave by protesting outside his home on Thursday night.

However, they will hope all the drama is behind Rooney and United now as they look to get their title challenge back on track.

There was no word as to whether Rooney would feature in United’s Premier League game at Stoke (4/1 – 90 minutes betting) having missed Wednesday’s Champions League victory over Bursaspor with an ankle injury.

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