Wayne Rooney's value has diminished at Manchester United

Rumours have long persisted about Manchester United’s desire to sell Wayne Rooney.

For a considerable amount of time the Liverpudian has been such a priceless and indispensable talent that the logic in willingly selling him for any sort of fee would have been erroneous from United’s point of view.

This season however, the 27-year-old’s struggles with fitness and form have been well-documented. Persistent injuries have prevented him from having a consistent run in the team and his ability to influence games has consequently suffered.

Talk of a summer exit has reemerged and for the first time in his United career there may actually be some substance to reports that Rooney is considered surplus to requirements by United manager Sir Alex Ferguson.

The forward’s absence this season has culminated in the emergence of new arrivals and several fringe players who have succeeded in asserting themselves in matches and making the sort of impact United’s number 10 has been unable to provide.

In Rooney’s absence, Robin Van Persie’s has assumed the role as the side’s chief attacker, Danny Welbeck has emerged as a dynamic attacking threat across the front three while Shinji Kagawa is beginning to demonstrate the sort of qualities a manager desires in a number 10.

For years an automatic starter in any of these positions, Rooney has at times found himself settling for a place on the bench or a role out of his usual position in favour of the above listed players.

But, even on the occasions he has started in a favoured position the former Evertonian has been unable to assert himself on the contest in the same way he has done in previous seasons.

Further, on the surface Rooney appears to lack the same presence he did even a year ago. He does not evoke the same fear in defences, his appetite for the contest, once unquenchable, appears to have been compromised, and his mercilessness in front of goal is seemingly a thing of the past.

Rooney’s exclusion from the Red Devils’ starting line-up in their home leg against Madrid, however surprising, was testament to his waning influence. The decision, although controversial, had its merits. Under the tactics employed by the manager, he simply didn’t fit in.

Although the veteran has suffered from lapses in the calibre of his performances before, this season’s dismal showings are unique and more severe than has been the case in past seasons.

Moreover, Rooney’s fall from football grace has been sudden, even ironic when you consider the circumstances.

After coming off a 32-goal season and after finally having his request for the signing of a world-class fulfilled with the acquisition of Robin Van Persie, Rooney’s form has been nothing short of anti-climatic.

Despite Van Persie’s arrival it was a Robin and Batman scenario.

Many believed prior to the season that Rooney was the club’s batman, Robin Van Persie (pardon the pun) was the club’s Robin and that Wayne would remain the primary catalyst for its fortunes.

But instead, the Dutchman has assumed the mantle Rooney had held since Ronaldo’s departure in 2009 as Manchester United’s best and most consistent player, while the Englishman has been considered merely another supplementary talent the Red Devils have at their disposal.

Currently, Rooney runs the risk of becoming even more inconspicuous than he is now.

This season alone he has been demoted from from an invaluable first-team player to virtually an important rotation player.

To compound the situation, given that his teammates that are currently providing competition for the same attacking places are early in their development, if Rooney’s lack of form continues he will see less and less minutes as time goes on.

If the Croxteth-born striker is to become irreplaceable and pivotal once again, he must rediscover the same presence and same core qualities that he has become synonymous with: his unassuming desire to succeed and his potency on just about any area of the pitch.

Much has been made about Rooney’s technical pedigree and versatility, after more than 10-years in the Premier League Rooney must find a way to adapt and become relevant to United’s cause again.