Manchester United want to tie their star man Wayne Rooney down with a new contract, but are set to delay negotiations until after the World Cup in South Africa.

What happens if Rooney impresses in the tournament or even wins it? His wages could sky rocket, so surely it is a risk for a club in so much debt to take.

The England forward has two years left to run on his £90,000-a-week deal and he is expected to soon become the highest paid player at the club overtaking his club team mate and England captain Rio Ferdinand, who earns around £110,000-a-week.

Paul Stretford, Rooney’s representative, must have been only too happy to agree to United’s wish of delaying talks until after the World Cup knowing after his player has had a great season scoring 34 goals. He also won the Professional Footballers’ Association and the Football Writers’ player of the year awards as well as earning a clean sweep in club awards. Stretford will already be confident in the fact that his client has done enough to be the top player at the club, but after FIFA’s flagship tournament this summer the player may want more, he may wish to be the highest paid player in the Premier League.

Most Premier League clubs have expressed their wish to get all transfer and contract negotiations done pre-South Africa, but the risk debt-ridden United are taking makes little sense at all and could be ridiculously foolish.

Rooney has always maintained that he is happy at Old Trafford, but Real Madrid have a growing interest in the player and are known for paying outrageous sums (£80m for Cristiano Ronaldo being just one example). Los Blancos are not alien to using the odd underhand tactic to entice players to the Bernabeu at times either. Barcelona are another team who have been linked with the 24-year-old and although Rooney is happy at United and has no intention of leaving, who is to say that he won’t be tempted to play alongside the likes of Lionel Messi, Xavi Hernandez and Andres Iniesta? I doubt he would leave, but why leave things to chance?

The Glazers must realise that tying down the player is central to the club, its plans and for the fans, so why is there no sense of urgency? It doesn’t seem like sound business sense for a club in so much debt to wait until after the World Cup when the player’s valuation could be considerably more, his stock isn’t exactly going to fall between now and then. I guess that’s the Glazer family for you.

For now the player is very much focused on his football and is relying on a favour from Wigan, who play against league leaders Chelsea on Sunday, if United are to claim their fourth league crown in-a-row. But he says the club only have themselves to blame if they do not earn a record league win.

Rooney said: “All the top teams have lost games." He added: "If we could have stayed more consistent and not lost so many games we would have won the league. We shouldn't be losing seven games at this club. Other teams have dropped points as well so it has been an open league and we are still with a chance and that is the main thing."

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