Louis van Gaal Unlikely to Overlook Wayne Rooney at Manchester United – Bolo Zenden

Incoming Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal will not side with international compatriot Robin van Persie over Wayne Rooney, according ex-Netherlands international Bolo Zenden.

Van Gaal is expected to be confirmed as the new United boss next week after the sacking of David Moyes following 10 months in charge at Old Trafford.

Suggestions have been rife that Van Persie, the current Dutch captain under Van Gaal's management of the Netherlands national team, will be preferred to Rooney in the United attack from next season given the pair's relationship at international level.

The 62 year old will leave his post with Netherlands after the World Cup finals and Zenden, who played under Van Gaal during his first spell as national team manager, says he will not side with Van Persie over Rooney at the expense of the team's success.

"People are jumping the gun," Zenden told talkSPORT. "Louis van Gaal has said in the past he's given players too much trust and it has cost him.

"He'll do whatever is best for the team and for him. If a player is not right for the job he'll make that decision. If he decides Rooney is better than Van Persie then he'll put him in, without a doubt."

Rooney is currently the highest paid player at United, having penned a new deal worth £300,000-a-week earlier in the season but had initially handed in a transfer request after being side-lined by the in-form Van Persie.

The Dutchman scored 26 goals in 35 games in the Premier League last season and was central to claiming the title in Sir Alex Ferguson's final campaign in charge.

His second season at United has been dogged by injury, with Rooney playing a more central role as the spearhead of the attack though the relationship between Van Persie and Van Gaal had drawn uncertainty over the England international's future.