Wayne Rooney lifts the lid on Manchester United exit plan following Sir Alex Ferguson confrontation

Wayne Rooney has opened up on the rift that developed between himself and Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United back in 2010.

The former England international asked to leave the club after questioning Sir Alex's decision to sanction the transfers of both Carlos Tevez and Cristiano Ronaldo.

With only Phil Jones and Chris Smalling brought in that summer, Rooney wished to seek further clarity by going to then chairman David Gill, who explained United were set to head into something of a transitional period.

Speaking via Sky Sports popular 'Stick to Football' podcast recently, the former DC United boss explained how Gill was the one to provide further context on plans for the football club moving forward.

"Manchester United offered me a new five-year deal but then we just sold Tevez, we just sold Ronaldo and I said to the manager, 'It's no disrespect to Phil Jones or Chris Smalling – they are obviously not going to replace Ronaldo and Tevez.

"I just wanted assurances that it wasn't going to be another transition.

"I didn't have the time personally, so I felt it was important to ask the question.

"Is it going to be a three, four-year transition, or is it going to be we're going to win trophies now and he told me to get out of his office – so then I got more sense out of David Gill of what the plan was."

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Rooney remained at the Theatre of Dreams until 2017, before resigning for boyhood club, Everton.

Admitting tensions ever since with Sir Alex were always strained, the former Derby man also stated how Ferguson thrived off the fact he knew he could push his buttons when needed.

"I think, in terms of the manager, I always had a great relationship with the manager but I think, after that, there were times in most games at half-time where me and the manager were at each other," said Rooney, via the UTD Podcast.

“I think the manager loved that. He knew, by doing that to me, he was getting a message to the other players. He did it with Giggsy as well."