Gary Neville wants Wayne Rooney to stay at Manchester United

English striker benched for Sir Alex Ferguson's final game at Old Trafford, but former defender says there is no better club for him to play for.

Wayne Rooney, left, asked to be benched by Sir Alex Ferguson after he asked for a transfer. Jon Super / AP Photo

Gary Neville, the former defender, has warned Wayne Rooney there is nowhere better than Manchester United.

Rather than fade out of the picture during his final two matches in charge, Sir Alex Ferguson continues to meet challenges head on.

He left Rooney out of his squad completely for his final Old Trafford game at the helm of the Red Devils, then revealed after the 2-1 win over Swansea City that the England man has asked for a transfer.

It creates the first major test for David Moyes even before he has got his feet under the table.

But Neville feels Rooney needs to be guided properly by the people who know him best.

"Wayne needs to surround himself with his family and his players. The ones who have been here for a long time will bring him round," Neville told Sky Sports. "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.

"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 will become Rooney's coach later this month for England friendlies against Republic of Ireland and Brazil.

And the striker is bound to arrive under a cloud after being booed as he collected his fifth Premier League winners' medal after Sunday's game.

"I don't think Wayne was keen to play simply because he had asked for a transfer," said Ferguson.

"He wants to think it through in his mind, which is a good idea.

"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."

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