United boss Sir Alex Ferguson said he tried to persuade Rossi to stay, promising the striker he would be given opportunities at Old Trafford.

But he added: “He wanted to have a go at first-team football. We’ve got a clause in his contract where he could come back to us at some point.”

United signed Rossi as a 16-year-old from Parma and the Italian club were keen to secure his services once again after the striker helped them stay in Serie A with nine goals in 19 matches during a loan spell there last season.

They reportedly tabled a £5.4m bid for the Italy Under-21 international, but failed to clinch a deal.

United boss Sir Alex Ferguson often spoke highly of Rossi, who scored 13 times in 19 starts for the reserve team in his first season at Old Trafford.

He signed a new contract until 2010 last summer, with Ferguson hailing him as “the future of the club”.

He went to Newcastle last season in a bid to play regular Premier League football but failed to win a regular place in the first team.

His loan spell in Parma was, by contrast, a huge success and Villarreal’s offer was apparently too good for United to turn down.

Villarreal were looking for a new striker after allowing Diego Forlan, another ex-United player, to join Atletico Madrid for £14m.

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  • Age: 20
    DOB: February 1st 1987
    Place of birth: Teaneck, New Jersey, United States
    Role:Striker
    Squad No.:19
    Year Club App. Goals
    04 Parma 0 0
    04- Manchester Utd 5 1
    06-07 Newcastle Utd (loan) 11 1
    07 Parma (loan) 19 9
    07- Villareal 10 7

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