Sport 27-08-2004 Rooney The Red Devil who: Everton striker Wayne Rooney what: Poised to join Manchester United as reds prepare to meet Everton`s asking price where: Old Trafford, MANCHESTER when: This weekend snippet: Manchester United will today meet Everton`s asking price for Wayne Rooney, insists today`s Mirror, "by increasing their bid to £25million to clinch the signing of England`s teenage superstar." The Old Trafford board have reportedly decided to increase their offer after Everton rejected their initial £20m bid for Rooney and also turned down Newcastle`s improved offer of £23.5m. The Times doesn`t think United will be so hasty, and "are ready to play a dangerous waiting game in the Rooney transfer saga, threatening to retreat from the negotiating table in the belief that they are the only club he truly wants to join." Indeed, "unless it seems that he is about to join Newcastle, they may be content to wait until the January transfer window, by which time his valuation may have dropped farther." The Guardian agrees, but The Telegraph`s Sam Wallace is pretty sure that United will come back in with another bid today, probably around £23.5m, and will have their man before the weekend is out. One way or another, it seems Rooney will be on his way after the papers say a "bust-up" between the 18 year-old and his manager David Moyes "ended in an argument between them in front of other players." Ryan Giggs tells The Telegraph he relishes the prospect of playing alongside the teenagr: "You don`t get any better than Wayne Rooney right now," he says. "Along with Cristiano Ronaldo he is probably the most outstanding player of his age group in Europe." This may be a good weekend for Wayne Rooney. Not only is he about to land the deal of a lifetime, The Mirror says fiancee Coleen McLoughlin has forgiven him for his "romps with hookers" - appeared in public yesterday "proudly sporting his engagement ring". [... more]

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