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Manchester United manager David Moyes has admitted he passed up the chance

for £42.5million, but Moyes claimed United did not need a player like him when they were offered him.

“We weren’t close to buying him but something was mooted a little bit before that,” said Moyes.

“We didn’t need that position at the time. I didn’t even say it was an interest, it was put to us and it was just something at the time we didn’t need.

“We we had Shinji Kagawa and Wayne Rooney and people of a similar ilk so it wasn’t quite what we required at that time. We were looking at different positions.”

Rooney has scored 10 times against tomorrow’s opponents Arsenal, since announcing himself on the Premier League stage with a wonder strike against them for Everton in 2002, when he was just 16.

“Arsenal do crop up quite often,” said Rooney. “It’s a bit weird. I’m sure they must be sick of the sight of me at times. That first goal for Everton does seem like a long time ago.”