The Sunday Mirror:
Wayne Rooney is poised to sign a £40million long-term deal with Manchester United by the turn of the year.
Sunday Mirror Sport can reveal that talks between Rooney's advisers and Old Trafford officials are under way.
The England star's wish "to sign for United for the rest of my career" is about to come true.
Despite the player's disappointing start to the season manager Sir Alex Ferguson has supported Rooney unequivocally and believes he will come good.
He singled out Rooney for special praise yesterday after the young striker's best performance of the season in United's 3-1 victory at Wigan. Rooney still has almost four years remaining on the £50,000- a-week deal he signed when he joined United in a £20m transfer from Everton two years ago.
Ferguson said: "I don't think it did him any good going to Germany in the physical condition he was in.
"It meant that he had to have a break from football after the tournament and when he started training with us again, the squad had done all their endurance work.
"It was the second time Wayne has missed having a proper pre-season, without any real fitness work, and that's something we will have to wait until next summer to address."