Sir Alex Ferguson confirmed Wayne Rooney has made a transfer request to leave Manchester United in the summer transfer window.
On the day when the English Premier League's greatest ever manager was involved in his last game as manager of United at Old Trafford, the news that Rooney wanted to leave came as a bit of a dampener.
There were several reports in the British press last week of Rooney asking for a transfer, and with Ferguson leaving the 27-year-old out of the squad for the game against Swansea, it became quite clear all was not well.
"I don't think Wayne was keen to play simply because he had asked for a transfer," Ferguson told Sky Sports.
"He wants to think it through in his mind, which is a good idea."
Ferguson, who will be replaced by David Moyes in the summer, however, insisted Rooney would not be allowed to leave at the end of the season.
"We are not going to let him go, but he is a little bit frustrated at being taken off once or twice in the last few weeks," Ferguson added.
Those comments could be a ploy from the manager to ensure that Rooney's price in the transfer market does not go down considerably with it now being public knowledge that the striker wants to leave.
Rooney still has two years remaining on his lucrative contract, which he signed in 2010, after publicly expressing his desire to leave Old Trafford, citing a lack of ambition at the club.
United legend and TV pundit Gary Neville, who knows Rooney really well, believes Rooney's best option is still remaining at Manchester United.
"Wayne is an emotional lad and you can see in the last couple of months he hasn't quite been himself," Neville said.
"Wayne Rooney wears his heart on his sleeve. He fights every refereeing decision. But he has been a bit vacant on the pitch. You can see something is wrong.
"But there is nowhere to go from here. I have seen players join Real Madrid and other great clubs in Europe. But they always want to come back.
"If you play for this club for 20 years it is not a bed of roses. You struggle mentally at times. He will be going through a difficult moment.
"But in a couple of weeks he will be coming away with England. Then he needs to have the summer off and hopefully get his head back to being a Manchester United player."
Neville said Rooney's family and advisors will play a big role in the former Everton player making the right decision.
"This is a good kid," Neville added. "He needs to surround himself with his family and his players. The ones who have been here for a long time will bring him round.
"He is not someone who will make rash decisions but he needs people around him to give him good advice. He has an agent and friends. They need to be giving him the right advice.
"This is the only club he should be playing at."
Rooney has been heavily linked with a move to Chelsea, while Bayern Munich and Paris Saint Germain are also reportedly interested.
