Van Gaal cautious over Rooney return

WAYNE ROONEY ‘still has weeks to go’ before he can play again because of a knee injury, according to his manager Louis van Gaal.

Although Rooney’s availability at Euro 2016 is not currently in serious doubt, England manager Roy Hodgson is determined not to include any half-fit players in his squad and wanted the Manchester United and England skipper to get as many matches under his belt as possible in the buildup for France.

United had originally thought Rooney would return from knee ligament damage after the international break at the end of March.

But that is now unlikely with Van Gaal unwilling to pencil in any kind of anticipated return date.

Rooney is in a knee brace and United are planning his rehab cautiously in the hope he won’t need an operation that would put his summer plans in doubt.

If Rooney is kept out until the end of April, United will have only three scheduled Premier League fixtures, leaving Hodgson with a serious headache about the 30-year-old’s match sharpness.

Van Gaal last night refused to give any assurances over a comeback date. ‘He still has weeks to go. He is not close,’ said the United manager.

‘I cannot say how many weeks as you never know. It is a conservative healing what we are doing with the brace, not an operation or something like that.’

Hodgson said earlier this week that Rooney would be guaranteed a place in the European Championship but added the proviso: ‘My only fear is whether he will be fit in time, but