Leonardo hails "complete player" Rooney

AC Milan manager Leonardo hailed Wayne Rooney as the "complete player" after the Manchester United striker spearheaded the 4-0 demolition of his Serie A side in their Champions League last-16 clash at Old Trafford.

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Rooney, who scored twice in United's 3-2 first-leg victory at San Siro, took his season's tally to 30 with two more goals on Wednesday night as Sir Alex Ferguson's team booked their place in the quarter-finals of the Champions League.

Leonardo was left in awe of the in-form England striker and claimed the 24-year-old would only get better.

"I think this year Rooney can grow up even more,"Leonardo said following his side's 7-2 aggregate defeat. "He's the complete player; strong, fast and he works hard."

"He does a lot of incredible movement and he's playing in a system that is perfect for him. United play at such speed and often on the counter-attack. That system, with Rooney, is incredible."

Ji-Sung Park and Darren Fletcher completed the scoring at Old Trafford in a scintillating, attacking performance that left manager Ferguson in bullish mood.

"When we play like that we are very difficult to compete against," Ferguson said. "With that team I've got, it doesn't matter who we play next."

The United boss added to the plaudits pouring down on Rooney and said that new training routines had assisted his striker's progress.

"He's improved his movement in the box but he has also been practising a lot more this season than ever before," Ferguson said. "He's putting in extra work after training and I think you get the rewards of that. We try to encourage them all to do that. We've set little practices for a lot of players and they're responding to it."