Manchester United manager David Moyes has insisted that he needs Wayne Rooney to stay at Old Trafford but only as cover for star man Robin van Persie.

The England international is widely expected to leave the Premier League champions this summer, having handed in a transfer request towards the end of last season.

However, Moyes is keen to keep the 27-year-old in order to provide him with more options when it comes to his team selection.

"Overall, my thought on Wayne is, if for any reasons we had an injury to Robin van Persie, we'll need him," Moyes told reporters. "Wayne can play up on his own, he can play dropped in. It's going to be a time to see how I work with Wayne.

"Manchester United isn't about Wayne Rooney. Manchester United is about the team - the club. I won't allow Wayne Rooney to become more important than the football club and the football team because that's the heart of it."

Rooney has two years left on his current deal with United.