It would have been even bigger news had Alex Ferguson not announced his retirement less than 24 hours earlier.

Wayne Rooney has asked to fly the coop for the second time in 30 months. The England striker reportedly spoke to Ferguson in his office two weeks ago where he revealed his desire for a fresh start elsewhere. He has also removed the term “Manchester United player” from his Twitter account.

It is a subplot that has never gone away since Rooney handed in a transfer request in October 2010. The 27-year-old performed a U-turn on that occasion and this time round Man United have reiterated that he is strictly not for sale – at least publically.

Rooney still has two years of his contract to run and any public admission that the club want to sell would drive his price down significantly.

But for Rooney it appears that a perceived diminishing of his status within the club is a driving force behind his desire to tread a path out of Old Trafford. His right wing slot against Real Madrid in the Bernabeu in February and the substitute role in the second leg a fortnight later is compelling evidence of where Rooney currently fits in at United.

That is ironic given the fact that one of his motivations in 2010 was his belief that United were not signing world class talent.

Robin Van Persie would surely fall into that category and has definitely overtaken the No 10 in the pecking order.

Money

Money is another factor for both parties. Rooney managed to get the club to raise his salary to £250,000 during the 2010 standoff. The Reds blinked that time but if a wage rise is a motive this time, United are unlikely to acquiesce given his fading status.

Statistically Rooney has been quite impressive this season. A tally of 10 assists this season puts him second in the Premier League, while he has netted a respectable 12 league goals in 22 starts this season.

But that has not masked the fact that his overall performances do not match up with the salary he currently commands.

There is likely to be a temptation to cash in given those performances and Rooney’s determination to leave. Fortunately, there are potential suitors for Rooney’s signature with PSG, Chelsea, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich showing interest in taking him off their hands.

However there could be a few problems that Rooney has not foreseen. He could free himself from United’s clutches. But can he realistically expect to be a central figure in his favoured second striker role at any of those clubs?

It is possible at PSG perhaps, but there is a huge question mark whether he is at the requisite level for Madrid or Munich and whether he can adapt to a playmaker role in a 4-2-3-1.

However, as Kevin Kilbane said on Off The Ball on Wednesday night, David Moyes' appointment could be a fresh start for Rooney at United with his first senior manager.

Of course there is history between the two dating back to the time the former Everton boss sued Rooney for libel, following comments in the latter’s first autobiography. But they have since reconciled.

However, it would appear that Rooney’s desire to leave is independent of Moyes’ arrival, although the two are likely to discuss the situation before any bridges are burned. And that should swing it for United’s hierarchy and the incoming manager.

Carrying a player that wants to leave is a dangerous presence to have in a dressing room that has been shorn of Ferguson, its unifying force.