Red Devil not bothered by rivals’ spending

Wazza confident ahead of 2012-13 campaign

By Zain Alvi | 28th June 2012

Even during a holiday in Los Angeles, Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney is in a very competitive mood as he is already looking forward to competing in an even tougher Barclays Premier League next season.

Whether it is Chelsea’s massive summer signing Eden Hazard or Arsenal’s latest acquisition Olivier Giroud, they have all already established that the English top flight is the most challenging league in the world.

Rooney and United have thrived under the pressures of the Premier League for years now but last season, a star-studded Manchester City side edged them to the title on goal-differential on the very last match-day.

It was a bitter pill to swallow for the Red Devils and although Rooney has more recently experienced further heart-break in the form of England’s Euro 2012 quarterfinals elimination on penalties, the 26-year old is focused on domestic football again.

The likes of Hazard and Giroud have already bolstered United’s two biggest London rivals, while redemption against the Citizens obviously remains a major priority as well.

“I think we’ve all learned a lot. There have been a lot of games where you get a feeling afterwards that you never want to have again, and hopefully we can get hold of that feeling and make sure it doesn’t happen again,” Rooney was quoted in Fight to the Finish, United’s official diary of the 2011/12 campaign.

The 26-year old added: “Just look at all the young players in the squad: they’ve played a lot of games, had a lot of ups and downs and most of them are already getting selected now for their national teams.

“That’s all going to help them. The next two or three years will be a big test for them and I’m sure we’ll all pull through it.”

In fairness, United have strengthened their own squad with more than just an extra year of experience; next season, they will be able to rely on a proven champion in the form of Japanese sensation Shinji Kagawa who was recently signed from Borussia Dortmund.