Rooney was injured in training before Man Utd's home game with Bursaspor

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson says it is time to "move on" after Wayne Rooney's recent troubles.

The out-of-form striker is out with an ankle injury after a turbulent time in which he seemed set to leave United before signing a new five-year deal.

"I don't know the reason for his loss of form because it started in the World Cup," Ferguson told Inside United.

"Whether some clubs have been filling his head in that period to affect him we don't know. I have not asked him."

Ferguson added: "The important thing is for us to put it behind us and move on. But certainly something has been troubling him."

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Rooney, 25, was injured in training on 19 October ahead of the home Champions League group game against Bursaspor.

He is expected to be out for at least another three weeks and will miss Tuesday's night's return match with the Turkish club.

Rooney is also set to sit out the Manchester derby on 10 November as well as England's game with France a week later.

His last appearance was as a late substitute in United's 2-2 draw with West Brom on 16 October when he cut the same out-of-sorts figure he has done since the end of last season.

Rooney, whose last goal from open play came in March, struggled at the World Cup in the summer and has scored only once - a penalty in the 3-0 win over West Ham in August - in the Premier League so far this season.

He was initially expected to be ruled out for three weeks, raising the possibility of him returning for United's trip to local rivals Manchester City.

But Ferguson recently said: "No chance. Any player who has been out for a few weeks - you want them 100% and not breaking down."

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