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Wayne Rooney fears he is being forced out of Manchester United and into exile as Paris Saint-Germain.

Rooney is adamant that he has NOT made an official transfer request, despite newly-retired manager Alex Ferguson publicly insisting that he HAD asked to leave the Old Trafford giants.

Rooney fears the United fans may struggle to forgive him and it now seems almost certain that the 27-year-old will leave this summer.

Big-spending French champions PSG head of the queue of interested clubs, although Monaco, Chelsea, Arsenal and even Manchester City are watching developments closely.

England striker Rooney had been hoping to start discussions about a new contract, yet United appear to be pulling the rug from under his feet - and that could force him out.

(Image: Sunday Mirror Mock-up)

Ferguson dropped Rooney for United's biggest game of the season - the decisive second leg of their Champions League last-16 tie against Real Madrid.

Despite the denials, that episode made it clear that he could be on his way out.

Summer signing Robin van Persie has also eclipsed Rooney as United’s main man up front.

Fergie’s tough tactics may end up sparing his successor, David Moyes, the difficult task of having to justify the sale to fans, as the former manager would take the full blame.

The Mirror understands that Ferguson had even explored using Rooney as bait in an incredible player-plus-cash swap deal to bring Manchester City keeper Joe Hart to Old Trafford.

Ferguson is a big admirer of Hart and felt his unhappiness under Roberto Mancini gave him a chance of snatching him.

(Image: Claudio Villa)

Hart is now happier at Eastlands and will stay on under boss-in-waiting Manuel Pellegrini following last week's decision to sack Mancini.

In contrast, Rooney, who celebrated the birth of son Klay on Tuesday, fears there is no way back for him at United.

He was alarmed to see Sky pundit Gary Neville - his England coach and a former United team-mate - laughing about him asking for a transfer while conducting a TV interview with Paul Scholes.

That has left him with the feeling there was a deep undercurrent and determination within the club to sell him.

Rooney has been left disappointed to see himself being accused of twice asking for a move in the past three years.

While he admits to having clear the air talks with Ferguson, as he sought assurances about his future, Rooney remains adamant that no formal transfer request was put in.

That is an official course of action in which the player puts his request in writing and waives his right to a pay-off - and Rooney maintains that has simply never happened, despite United public claims to the contrary.

And with that sort of backdrop, it is crystal clear that Rooney fears there is a clear agenda to move him on.