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LONDON -- Less than a year after pushing to leave Manchester United, Wayne Rooney committed his long-term future to the struggling Premier League champion on Friday by signing a lucrative contract through June 2019. Brent Seabrook Blackhawks Jersey . The 28-year-old forwards future at United has been uncertain since Chelsea tried to sign him last year, and he had only 18 months remaining on his current deal. But Rooney now looks set to end his playing career at the club he has been at since 2004 after signing a contract reportedly worth around 300,000 pounds ($500,000) a week. The deal makes Rooney the leagues top earner, and softens the blow of potentially not playing against Europes elite clubs next season. In the first season since David Moyes replaced Alex Ferguson, United is seventh in the league with 12 matches remaining, 11 points from Englands fourth Champions League berth. "Its not a massive concern for me," Rooney said on his personal website. "This is because I know the direction that this club is going in, and if we dont make it this season then we will come back stronger and claim a Champions League spot next season. "Lets not forget we still have a chance this year. Some of the other teams are playing well, but we have a strong squad here and if we have a positive end to the season then who knows what can happen." The England national team star has been at United almost a decade, since leaving an Everton team then managed by Moyes. In 403 United appearances, Rooney has scored 208 goals, putting him fourth on the clubs career list, 41 behind record-holder Bobby Charlton. "Wayne has been the best player in England since I put him into the Everton first team in 2003," Moyes said. "Since becoming United manager in July last year, I have enjoyed working with him and seeing just how he has developed his incredible talent. As part of the new contract, Rooney will become a club ambassador when his playing career ends. He already is central to the clubs global marketing operation as one of the teams most high-profile players. "Ive been here since I was 18 and this contract will take me through to my 30s, which is almost my entire professional career," Rooney said. "Ive played most of my best football here and am looking forward to hopefully playing even better football in the next few years." Moyes is delighted to have prevented Rooney from joining a rival. "Everyone would want him in their team," Moyes said. "There were clubs who did want him. There were clubs who would have wanted him, but there was never going to be a chance he was going to leave Manchester United, certainly not on my watch." Convincing Rooney to stay, having already broken the clubs transfer record to sign midfielder Juan Mata last month, should help Moyes persuade other players to join as he looks to strengthen the squad. "Part of the rebuilding is making sure that you keep the players you really want to keep," Moyes said. "We are looking to bring the best players in the world to the club. I think Wayne Rooney is one of them. I will be looking to make more signings in the summer and hopefully add to the quality we already have got." Jeremy Roenick Blackhawks Jersey .C. -- The Montreal Canadiens needed a little time to get up to speed in their final game before the Olympic break. http://www.blackhawkshockeyproshop.com/Michal-Handzus-Blackhawks-Jersey/ . Both teams have had exceptional runs so far in the playoffs and now the great test of who gets to represent the conference with a chance to win a title in the NBA Finals in June.WASHINGTON -- Juan Lagares was ready to contribute when given the opportunity. "I know I can play. Thats what I do. Thats what Im here for," Lagares said after driving in three runs with a homer and a single and robbing Washingtons Jayson Werth of a home run in New Yorks 5-2 win on Saturday. Lagares came in 5 for 27 in his past 11 games, but he provided a jolt for the struggling Mets. He singled in a run during a three-run first and homered with one on and one out in the third to give New York a 5-0 lead. Hes batting .304 for the season. "Well, hell play tomorrow," Mets manager Terry Collins said to laughter following the game. "He had a good game. Thats great. Thats why we put him in there today," Collins added. "Gios not easy to hit, but hes got a (better) chance to have some success against lefties than he has been against righties, so I let him in there." The Mets outfielder took a homer away from Werth with a leaping catch against the wall in centre. "Im not surprised by anything he does defensively, not a thing," said Collins, who also praised Lagares for his offensive work this week with assistant hitting coach Luis Natera. "I try to be positive, try to do my work in the cage and try to be ready for the opportunity," Lagares said. "Thats the key, be positive and keep working." Bartolo Colon (3-5) allowed two runs and five hits over eight innings as New York snapped a three-game losing streak and won for the first time in 10 tries against Washington. Rookie Eric Campbell drove in two runs and had his first two-hit game, and Daniel Murphy added two hits as well for New York. Colon, who turns 41 next week, came in 0-2 with an 8.31 ERA (17 runs in 17 1-3 innings) in three starts this month -- all on the road. On Saturday, he retired the last 11 hitters he faced. "He made big pitches, he pitched ahead," Collins said. "You know, you looked up and you saw he had 70 pitches, you kind of figured hes on his game." Jenrry Mejia pitched the ninth for his first career save. Ian ;Desmond had two hits, including a two-run homer, for Washington. http://www.blackhawkshockeyproshop.com/Michal-Rozsival-Blackhawks-Jersey/. . Gio Gonzalez (3-4) took the loss, suffering his second straight poor start. Coming off a 9-1 loss at Oakland in which he allowed seven earned runs in five plus innings, he lasted just three innings Saturday. "Arm slot wasnt where I wanted it to be. Up in the strike zone the entire time, falling behind on everyone. You can see it just wasnt a good game at all," Gonzalez said after allowing five earned runs and seven hits. The Mets scored one more run in the first inning Saturday than they had in the previous 27 combined. With one out, Murphy lined a single to centre and David Wright followed with an infield hit between first base and the mound. After Chris Young walked, Campbell sent a single to centre to score Murphy and Wright. Lagares, in the starting lineup for the first time since Tuesday, blooped a single to right, scoring Young with the third run. It marked the 10th time this season that Washington had allowed three or more runs in the first inning. In the third, Campbell singled with one out and Lagares drove a 3-2 fastball into centre. Desmonds homer in the fourth pulled the Nationals within 5-2. Werths leaping catch at the wall with two outs in the ninth preserved Friday nights 5-2 Washington win. He was the victim on Saturday, however, when he appeared to pull the Nationals within 5-3 with a drive to centre to open the sixth, but Lagares raced to the wall, leaped and reached back to grab the drive. "I know he hit it good," Lagares said. "I just go like I always go, hard, and try to make the catch." NOTES: Craig Stammen pitched four innings of scoreless relief for the Nationals. ... Murphy has hit in nine straight (13 for 36) and in 34 of the 40 games hes played. ... Nationals 1B Adam LaRoche tested his strained right quad Friday and said he hopes to be ready to return when hes eligible to come off the disabled list May 25. ... New Yorks Zack Wheeler (1-3, 4.53) opposes Jordan Zimmermann (2-1, 3.59) in Sundays series finale. ' ' ' |
