Former Manchester United title winners say Wayne Rooney has nothing to apologise for.
Former United players, Clayton Blackmore and David May, insist Rooney has nothing to be sorry for.
Blackmore believes last season's double footballer of the year had every right to demand a bumper pay deal.
"I didn't think he needed to apologise," he said. "Every footballer gets their contract sorted out. All he wanted to do was get in line with the City players who are on a fortune.
"Last season he was one of the best players in the league - probably in Europe. Yet he was probably getting half of what some of the City lads are on. And he's got an agent who wants to push for the best deal."
May adds that Rooney was justified in questioning whether United could still compete for the world's best players, given the £700m debt laid on the club by owners, the Glazer family.
"I don't know whether it was because of his contract and money - it was because of the Glazers," the former defender also told the Manchester Evening News. "There's been so much speculation about them not putting money in the pot.
"If you look at the bigger picture and look at the squad - Rio Ferdinand, Gary Neville, Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes will all leave in the next two years maximum. Are the Glazers going to bring in fresh blood?
"If Wayne signed a five-year deal, he'd have tied himself to the club and would he want to be at a club where the owners don't want to move forward?
"That's why Wayne stalled on his contract. Once Giggs or Scholes leave, are the club going to invest to replace them?"
