Newcastle boss Alan Pardew has laughed off claims that he will try to sign England striker Wayne Rooney this summer.
A report on the Sports Direct news website, which is linked to club owner Mike Ashley's business, this week claimed preliminary talks had already taken place with the 27-year-old's future at Manchester United uncertain after he handed in a transfer request.
The story was quickly retracted and Pardew is not expecting the club to renew its interest in Rooney after making a failed £25million bid for him when he was a teenager. Pardew said: "When Demba [Ba] went in January and we didn't secure [Loic] Remy, it was obvious that we were going to need to bring in a striker or two in this summer window, and hopefully we can."
He added: "But Rooney won't be one of them, 100 per cent, I can assure you."
Source: PA
