Football
Arindam Rej, Man United Correspondent 8y

Wayne Rooney a different player now - Russia boss Leonid Slutsky

England and Manchester United captain Wayne Rooney is no longer the player he once was, according to Russia manager Leonid Slutsky.

Manchester United striker Rooney, 30, is preparing for England's game against Russia in Marseille on Saturday, which is both sides' opening match in group B.

United's new manager Jose Mourinho had claimed in the build-up to the match that Rooney, whose place in the national team has been under scrutiny, is England's best player.

However Slutsky, who also manages CSKA Moscow, compared Rooney's evolution to Vagner Love, who was prolific for the Russian club but is now at Monaco. Similar to Rooney, 31-year-old Love has had to modify his game later in his career.

Slutsky said: "He [Rooney] has changed his style. He is not the player that he was. It reminds me of Vagner Love when he came to CSKA Moscow in 2004.

"Back then he was a pure striker because of his speed, his runs, and he scored lots of goals. He was brilliant in the front line.

"Now Vagner Love is very different. He organises, he plays passes. It would be unfair to say that Rooney is worse than before, but he is very different."

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