Sir Alex Ferguson reveals Wayne Rooney had been a transfer target for years

Rooney needs two more goals to break Sir Bobby Charlton's 45-year-old record and become England's all-time record goalscorer.

But Ferguson recalled how he took some convincing to make the move to United.

Ferguson said he first spotted Rooney's potential as a 14-year-old during an academy game but the staunch Everton fan was not interested in a move.

Rooney rejected similar overtures two years later before United finally landed him for a fee of around £28million two years later.

In an interview with ITV, Ferguson said: "(United youth coach) Jim Ryan came back from one of our academy games at the 14 years level and he said 'I've seen a player' and we said the boy is Wayne Rooney.

"We tried to get him because there's a window at the end of the season where we can entice or approach a boy from another club to come and join your academy, but it failed.

"The boy wanted to stay at Everton - at that time he had a love of the club and he's an Everton fan.

"When he got to 16 we tried again

We approached him to join as a 16-year-old, but once again he refused

Then I think everyone saw the highlights when he scored that goal against Arsenal.

"It confirmed exactly what Jim Ryan had said

This boy was going to be a United player."

Source : PA

Source: PA