Police to investigate Rooney for 'assault'

Wayne Rooney, the England striker, is being investigated by police, amid allegations he assaulted a fan in a nightclub.

Wayne Rooney, the England striker, is being investigated by police, amid allegations he assaulted a fan in a nightclub.

Greater Manchester Police launched an investigation after a 22-year-old man made a complaint of assault against the Manchester United footballer.

The allegations have been denied by Rooney's spokesman who insisted the footballer was taunted but did not respond.

The incident allegedly took place during a late night outing yesterday to Tiger Tiger bar in Manchester's, along with his teammates Rio Ferdinand, Wes Brown and Roy Carroll.

It was about 1am when the accuser allegedly began to taunt Rooney about his move from Everton to Manchester United last year.

It is claimed that the man screamed at the player, calling him "treacherous" and shouted "once a blue, always a blue", in reference to his former Everton career. The manager of the 19-year-old footballer denied the claims and insisted Rooney did not respond, physically or otherwise, to the taunts .

Instead, the footballer claimed that the 22-year-old man approached him in a "menacing" and "threatening" manner before he was escorted from the premises.

"Wayne was approached by a man he had never met in a menacing and threatening manner," said Rooney's spokesman.

"At no stage did Wayne respond. The man was immediately asked to leave the nightclub in the company of security guards."

Staff at Tiger Tiger, in Manchester's Printworks development, refused to comment on the incident.