Wayne Rooney may have become one of the highest paid footballers in the world, but as a human being and role model to young players he is worth zero.
Budding footballers would be advised not to follow the example set by him. The club is bigger than the player and this is non-negotiable. Rooney has stayed with United but he has also given his fans a glimpse of his shrinking morals and tactlessness.
Rooney's is not an isolated case. All over the world there are instances of clubs being held hostage by footballers who give in to avarice — thanks to the machinations of their greedy agents.
The pressure will amass on Rooney. He must prove that he is worth the money. He has lost the support of the dressing room — a factor which is so important in a team game. He has also flouted the principles upon which the club was built. Manchester United will endure the immature excesses of a young man who they developed, mentored and propelled onto the world stage.
The history of the club will not be tainted by a delinquent who berates his fans, drinks and urinates on sidewalks and frolicks with prostitutes while his wife is pregnant. All the while claiming he is misunderstood, misguided, doesn't earn enough and therefore forgot to grow up.
