Rooney Set to Miss Premier League Opener Due to Stomach Virus

The Manchester United international striker is almost certain to miss the opening match of the English League against Newcastle United due to a stomach virus. England international striker Wayne Rooney is struggling to become fit after picking up a stomach virus on his club's preseason tour of Nigeria. Sky Sports TV said Tuesday that Rooney contracted the virus while in Nigeria for a friendly win over Portsmouth, which United meets again on Sunday in the season-opening Community Shield at Wembley.

Rooney has been unable to train since returning from Africa at the start of last week, putting his fitness well behind schedule for the new season. Manchester United are to face Newcastle on August 17, in the first match of the English Premier League 2008/2009, and Wayne Rooney is struggling to play that match.

United manager Alex Ferguson revealed the problem at a news conference on Tuesday, saying that Rooney would miss this weekend's traditional Community Shield season-opener against FA Cup winners Portsmouth at Wembley. Ferguson told Sky Sports News: "I doubt we'll get Rooney fit for the start of the season with the virus he's had. It's a virus he picked up in Nigeria and it's not a nice one, but quite a few have had it," said the Scot, who confirmed that Rooney was not suffering from malaria.

Rooney has scored 53 goals for United in the last four seasons. Rooney's illness means he could also miss England's friendly against the Czech Republic on Aug. 20 at Wembley. It could also prompt United to revive its efforts to sign Bulgaria striker Dimitar Berbatov from Tottenham.

Another Manchester United player who will be missing from the squad to face Portsmouth and the season's start will be Brazilian Anderson. The 20-year-old midfielder is on international duty at the Olympics in Beijing and will not return to the club until mid-August at the earliest.

Manchester United was already without Cristiano Ronaldo for the first two months of the season, even if the Portugal international does not move to Real Madrid, and may now have to cope without another forward. Ferguson insisted there was no chance Ronaldo, who is under contract until 2012, would depart for Real Madrid.

"The matter is closed now," Ferguson said. "He is a Manchester United player. It's finished. He'll be playing here next season, believe me. It's finished."

Real Madrid has made a strong push for the Portuguese star, who said publicly he would be interested in playing for the Spanish side.

Madrid may have stopped their pursuit. The club's president, Ramon Calderon, said on Tuesday that their signing of Dutch player Rafael van der Vaart was "the first and almost certainly the last signing we will make this season."