Manchester United and England could have been dealt a blow by the news that wayne rooney is set to miss the opening matches of the Premier League season and possibly England's friendly against the Czech Republic on 20th August.

Rooney contracted a virus, diagnosed by the club's own laboratory, on United's pre-season tour of Nigeria.

Sir Alex Ferguson said, "I doubt Wayne will be fit for the start of the season. It's a virus he picked up in Nigeria and it's not a nice one. He's not been back in training yet."

Rooney's illness leaves Ferguson facing a selection dilemma ahead of the opening match of the season at home to Newcastle. He said recently that he would be prepared to give his young prospect Fraizer Campbell a chance and with the absence of Rooney and the injured Ronaldo, together with Nani being suspended and Anderson being at the Olympics, he may have to do so sooner than he would have hoped.

With strong rumours that Louis Saha will be off to Sunderland, Sir Alex may increase the efforts to capture Berbatov from Tottenham.