There is absolutely no legal obligation by a club to attend a supposed transfer request. Not many people stay at their clubs after they handle a transfer request, but just as many arent allowed to join a direct rival. There are two emphatic recent examples. RVP with Arsenal and Lewandowski with BvB. What do you think Manure will prefer to do? (especially after what happened last season, when van Persie basically gave them the title) As far as benching Rooney, of course they can do it, as long as there isnt anything on his contract that stops it from happening (which I doubt Ferguson would have agreed on). This argument of him being a human being and he cant root in reserves is complete bullshit. Leaving a player on the bench or in the reserves team doesnt infringe in any labor law nor human rights. Just look at Malouda and many other examples! We dont know if any other team will show interest in Rooney, but Manure will try to sell him (if they do) to anyone besides an English team. People say they need to sell him due to high wages (etc), but they really dont. United operated in decent profit for the last 2.5 fiscal years, they dont need to cut losses nor make money. If they do indeed sell him to us, it will be because they 'wanted' (or at least allowed).