TWENTY-ODD million quid for a freckle-faced, jug-eared teenager who has still to shed his puppy fat?

On the face of it, Manchester United would appear to have lost their financial, and footballing marbles.

Any deal for 18-year-old Wayne Rooney struck over the next couple of days would be the most expensive transfer since Brazilian legend and World Cup winner, Ronaldo, moved from Inter Milan to Real Madrid in 2001.

The bottom we were told, has fallen out of the football transfer market, and that appeared to be confirmed by the fact that another Merseyside wonderkid, Michael Owen - with a proven goalscoring record at the highest level - left Liverpool for just '8m.

Chelsea bucked the trend, splashing '24m for Didier Drogba, but money is confetti to Roman Abramovich.

It appears he would rather spend the extra few million and save himself the headache from negotiating with tiresome football chairmen and wheedling agents.

But, of course, the old maxim stands firm. A player is worth whatever a club is prepared to pay for him.

United have had their fingers burned before, not least over the '28m signing of Seba Veron.

You just knew he was not cut out to be a United player when, asked about a defeat, he said "No-one died".

Old Trafford is not used to such shoulder-shrugging acceptance of being second-best, and he was off-loaded, at half price, two years later, having barely made a ripple on the pond of Red history.

Then there was Rio Ferdinand, who cost even more and has spent the past seven months twiddling his thumbs after missing a drugs test - a ban that even his manager believes cost United the title last season.

So can Rooney, if he signs, prove worthy of such a hefty price tag? The answer is a resounding `Yes'.

Those of us lucky enough to see him close up at Euro 2004 can attest to that.

Effect

Very rarely does a player have the effect on a tournament, and on a team, that Rooney had on England at the European Championships.

The tension of the teenager bearing down on goal against Croatia, the weight of an expectant nation on those young shoulders with the game poised at 2-1, was almost unbearable.

But Rooney slotted the ball home as if he was playing "three-and-in" on a croft in Croxteth to book England's quarter-final place.

That kind of temperament, allied to explosive pace and God-given footballing ability, is worth a reasonable financial risk.

Peter Schmeichel says Rooney could have a Cantona-style effect on United - but that kind of praise needs to be reined in a little.

Cantona had already hauled Leeds United to the league title, and was a mature established international when he came to United.

Rooney cannot even be sure of a place in the United team if he signs, especially with players returning from injury.

He was used quite sparingly by David Moyes at Everton where his 34 league appearances included eight as substitute.

But stats-bashing misses the point of Rooney. He has the ability to lift United to another level, as has Cristiano Ronaldo, another teenager.

Ronaldo has proved that talent will not be denied - he would be among the names on Sir Alex Ferguson's teamsheet if the manager was selecting his strongest XI.

And Rooney has the added advantage that he is not only English, but from the North West - no pining for the pampas from him.

Twenty-five million would be more than twice what United paid for Ronaldo, and on the face of it that is ludicrous. If anything, Ronaldo has proved himself to a greater extent, by establishing himself at United and by helping Portugal to the European Championships final.
But the football transfer market is not constrained by player comparisons - as illustrated by the fact that Alan Smith cost United less than Diego Forlan.

The fee will not bother Rooney, nor will the pressure of playing for one of the world's biggest clubs.

He has the ability, he has the temperament, and he has the credentials - now he needs a club to go with them.

So do you think Rooney is worth the money? Have your say.

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