Manchester United boss David Moyes is delighted with Wayne Rooney's new contract.
He revealed that he met Rooney in secret on two occasions before starting his new job last July after the striker had been frozen out by Sir Alex Ferguson.
Moyes said: "I said to Wayne that I wanted him to stay before I'd actually come in here. I'd met Wayne privately a couple of times to talk about his situation, to try to understand.
"He came up to my house and I said to him, "if you ask me what's missing I think you've gone a bit soft". I thought he hadn't been the hard-working, aggressive player he was. I needed to try to get him back to that level.
"When he came into the team I felt as though he nearly had to re-invent himself again. Go back to being the old Wayne Rooney, fighting for everything that's there but with the technical ability of a top player.
"I think he's done that. He's back, he's showing leadership qualities and he's shown exactly what it is to play for Manchester United.
"I've heard people saying he wouldn't be here at different times but, as you know, football deals don't get done quickly now. I've probably known for three or four months that this would probably happen. In fact, I've felt it since August."
