Firm suing Rooneys for £4.3m

MILLIONAIRE footballer Wayne Rooney and his wife Coleen are being sued for £4.3 million after being "exploited" by his agent, a court heard yesterday.

The England and Manchester United striker and his wife allegedly owe the money in commission payments to Proactive, a sports management company which agreed sponsorship deals with companies on their behalf.

The firm received commission of up to 20 per cent on multi-million-pound contracts signed by the Rooneys, Manchester Mercantile Court heard.

But the firm's "primary point of contact" to the couple was Paul Stretford, the footballer's long-standing agent and a former director of Proactive. When he left the firm in acrimony in October 2008, he refused to authorise further payments of commission, forcing Proactive to sue the Rooneys.

Mr Stretford signed up to represent Rooney, then aged under 18, with the agreement of his parents, in 2002, as the talented youngster burst on to the football scene with Everton. He subsequently signed for Manchester United in a 20m deal and he and his wife have become household names.

Ian Mill, QC, acting for Proactive, opened the complex case against the Rooneys and Mr Stretford at the court yesterday.

Mr Mill said for almost six years, Paul Stretford, through Proactive, had acted for Wayne Rooney "with great success".

Paul Chaisty, QC, defending the Rooneys and Mr Stretford, suggested the young footballer's first eight-year contract with Proactive was "bad" and "unsatisfactory" and his parents, then the teenager's legal guardians, had not taken independent legal advice when they signed to Proactive.

The Rooneys are expected to give evidence next week.