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RVP/Rooney Fallout As Van Gaal Favours Dutchman As Utd Captain

Wayne Rooney is set to lose out to Robin Van Persie as new Manchester United captain if Louis Van Gaal takes over as boss.

The England striker had been lined up to succeed Nemanja Vidic as skipper at Old Trafford next season,but sources close to Van Gaal say the Holland  coach would prefer to make his fellow Dutchman Robin Van Persie the new United captain if he gets the Old Trafford job.

Under previous boss David Moyes, it was Rooney who was poised to take over the armband next season once Vidic leaves for Inter Milan.

But Moyes’s sacking has thrown those plans into turmoil, with current Holland boss Van Gaal in pole position to take over at United on a £7m-a-year deal despite competition from Carlo Ancelotti.

United have held talks with Van Gaal, who is about to start his preparations for this summer’s World Cup in Brazil.

Real Madrid boss Ancelotti remains an alternative option, however, but United bosses know he would be expensive and difficult to price away from the Spanish giants.

It means Van Gaal remains the hot favourite to succeed Moyes – but his arrival at United will spell bad news for Rooney.

The decision would prove unpopular with fans but Van Gaal has proved in the past he is not scared to make tough calls.

Van Gaal made Van Persie Holland captain ahead of experienced Wesley Sneijder when he became national boss in 2012.

The veteran boss is a close friend of Van Persie’s and has even taken him on scouting missions in recent seasons.

Rumours are rife of a fallout between Van Persie and Rooney which could escalate over the captaincy issue.

But overlooking Rooney in favour of Van Persie would leave the United talisman devastated and could spark unrest between team-mates who are widely rumoured not to get on too well.

Rooney had his nose put of joint when Van Persie took centre stage to fire United to the title in 2013 in his first season at Old Trafford.

But it is believed there was resentment in the dressing room from Van Persie and other team-mates when Rooney penned a new £300,000-a-week deal earlier this season to become the highest-paid star in the club’s history.

To make matters worse Rooney has run through brick walls for United this season in a bid to help his team salvage some pride, while Van Persie has spent long spells on the sidelines denying rumours he wants to leave.

Rooney has set his heart on becoming United’s next captain but he might now find himself answering to Van Persie under Van Gaal.