Rooney not for sale, insists Gill

Glazers in promise to Ferguson Ferguson gives Glazers backing

Manchester United chief executive David Gill has insisted that the club's new owners, the Glazer family, will not be tempted to sell striker Wayne Rooney.

Gill said that meetings with the Glazer family had allayed fears that any debts would lead to the sale of star players.

He told BBC Radio Five Live: "The Glazer family have experience in sports ownership and realise that success on the pitch drives what happens off it.

"I think I can say that Wayne Rooney will definitely not be sold."

Gill said his meeting with Joel, Avi and Bryan Glazer this week had calmed fears that the debt incurred in the takeover would force the Glazers into drastic measures - such as the sale of the 19-year-old England forward.

He also insisted that money will be made available to manager Sir Alex Ferguson and that there would be no cap on the transfer budget.

Gill added: "There is no transfer cap. The Glazers made it clear that money will be made available, although I do not think there is a huge amount of investment needed in the team."

Being a private company is, in football today, the right model Man Utd cheif executive David Gill

"All along the strategy has been about making us strong on the pitch because if you don't have a successful team what you want to do commercially will not work.

"Everything follows from succes on the pitch and the Glazers realise that."

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Gill also moved to quell rumours that Old Trafford would be sold and leased back to the club to help ease the Glazers' debt burden.

Gill said: "Joel Glazer and his brothers have been categoric on that. There is no need to do it as they have got the finance in place.

"We own all our assets, whether it be Old Trafford or our training ground at Carrington, and such a move is simply not required."

Gill also felt that a change in United's ownership structure from a publicly-quoted company to a private one owned by the Glazers may benefit the club.

In a reference to Chelsea, whose Premiership title was financed by owner Roman Abramovich, Gill said: "Being a private company as against a a publicly-quoted one, is in football today, the right model.

The Glazers understand you cannot guarantee success David Gill

"Some of our competitors are not publicly quoted and it was becoming increasingly difficult for Manchester United to compete at the highest level being a quoted company.

"As a publicly-quoted company there is pressure to get a good return on assets like Wayne Rooney."

Gill also said the Glazers had not given Ferguson any ultimatum to deliver success.

"There are no specific targets and the Glazers understand that you cannot guarantee success," said Gill.

"They know you have to give the manager the tools, in terms of players, to ensure you can compete at the highest level.

"Our goal is to be in the top three or four teams in Europe, competing in and winning the Premiership and FA Cup and doing better in Europe."