Wayne Rooney: Manchester United captain insists he will be fit to lead England at Euro 2016

'It is going as planned'

(Getty Images)

Wayne Rooney insisted last night that he will be fit to lead England’s Euro 2016 campaign as he dispelled fears that a knee ligament injury could jeopardise his participation in France this summer.

The Manchester United forward faces another three to four weeks on the sidelines with the injury that has forced him to miss the club’s last eight games in all competitions. And with just two months of the season left to play, concerns had been raised over the possibility that the 30-year-old would once again travel to a major tournament with doubts over his fitness. But speaking at the launch of United’s new global partnership with Gulf Oil International, Rooney claimed he will be back to lead Louis van Gaal’s forward line in April.

“It is going as planned,” Rooney said. “It is going how we first thought. It is going well so, hopefully, it won’t be too long now. I don’t know when [I’ll be back] for definite, but [it will be] after the international break. Obviously, I will miss the England games [against Germany and the Netherlands], but it shouldn’t be too long after that.

“It has been eight games I have missed and I didn’t realise it was [going to be] that many. It has been frustrating. Missing the Europa League and the FA Cup, there could be a huge chance in that now.”

Rooney insists that his rehabilitation has taken time due to the nature of his injury and the inability to accelerate his return to action. “It is not too bad, but we are being a bit cautious,” Rooney said. “It is a difficult one to try and push back. If I try and push and be involved now it could cause more damage. So we are being cautious. After the international break is a more realistic target. I am hoping if I am back when I am expected to be back, depending on the two cups we are still in, then there could be 10 games left for United plus the England games, so I don’t think that [Euro 2016] would be a worry.

“There was a time when I couldn’t do anything. The manager, myself and the doctor thought it was better that I went away and that could only do me good in the coming weeks. But I have tried to be involved with United and I have spoken to the players a lot. I know it is not the same as being out there on the pitch and being involved on match day and having an influence, but I have tried to help out.”

Meanwhile, Ashley Young is set to return to training at United this week after two months out with a groin injury.

Rooney has now missed the last month of football (Getty)

Young, 30, has been missing since limping out of the Premier League victory at Liverpool on 17 January, but the former Aston Villa winger could now challenge for a return to Van Gaal’s team following the international break later this month.

With Antonio Valencia also close to returning to the squad after five months out with a foot injury, only Rooney, Phil Jones (ankle) and Luke Shaw (broken leg) remain in the treatment room following an injury crisis which led to 13 first-team players being unavailable to the United manager at the end of last month.

Neither Young nor Valencia is likely to be available for Thursday’s Europa League last 16 second-leg match against Liverpool at Old Trafford – a tie in which United trail 2-0 following last week’s first-leg defeat at Anfield. Despite the challenge facing United, however, their defender Chris Smalling insists that the deficit can still be overturned.

“It’s not impossible and I think we need to play how we did in the second half against West Ham [in the FA Cup on Sunday] and start the game well,” Smalling said. “It was a very nervous start against West Ham, but we can’t afford any slip-ups on Thursday.”