Transfer news: Manchester United have NOT made world record bid for Tottenham winger Gareth Bale, insists David Moyes

United manager adds that his club will always be interested in the world's best players

David Moyes has denied that Manchester United have bid for Gareth Bale (PA)

David Moyes denied on Monday night that Manchester United have bid for Gareth Bale, after a day in which Tottenham Hotspur claimed they had received a second offer to rival Real Madrid’s initial one.

Asked whether the mystery second club was United, Moyes replied bluntly that was not the case but that his club would always be in the market for the world’s best players. Moyes selected Rooney for the 0-0 draw against Chelsea and he said that the player’s performance, one of the best in the United team, had not come as a surprise to him.

Moyes said: “I was very pleased with his performance and I was very pleased with the [positive] reaction from the crowd. I didn't think it was unexpected. I expected it. I don't know how many times I have to say it, but he's been great in training.

"The way he has trained, I think anyone looking at him might see a leaner-looking Wayne, and I said to him 'I might only play you for 60 or 70 minutes, I'll see how you go'. But no, he tracked back, he tackled, he chased when we needed it.

"Chelsea had a lot of midfield players so we had to make sure we had a lot of people around them as well. I think Wayne has a positive mind at the moment. I don't think it needs to change.

"I think at the moment his performance said enough. He closed two or three people down in the corner and the crowd recognised the work he did. He nearly scored with an overhead kick late on, so I think his actions tonight showed what he thought.”

Moyes said that his team had been the more attacking in a game that was low on goalscoring chances. "I thought we did create the chances,” he said. “I thought if there was anyone who created the chances it was us but we just didn't quite have the final cross or the final pass. I thought we played very well.”