MANCHESTER, England, Sept 26 (AFP) - England teenage star Wayne Rooney looks set to make his eagerly-awaited debut in Tuesday's Champions League match at home to Turkish side Fenerbahce, Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson said on Sunday.
The 18-year-old has not played since breaking a bone in his foot during England's Euro 2004 quarter-final defeat by Portugal in June but it did not stop Ferguson splashing out 27million pounds for him last month.
Ferguson was positively euphoric at the thought of the former Everton star making his debut against Fenerbahce.
"It is very exciting," he told the Manchester Evening News.
"He definitely has a chance of playing on Tuesday and it is a toss of the coin whether he will be on the bench or he will start the game.
"All the players wanted him to play at Tottenham but we wanted to give him a really good bit of training in order that he does not break down."
Ferguson, who has seen Uunited regain some of their old fire by winning thier last two Premiership matches after a stuttering start to the season, said that Rooney had been really impressive in training.
"We left him to train really hard on Friday and then we can make a decision on Monday," he said.
"He has been great in training, he is a good player. He is a quiet boy but he has not been overawed by coming here.
"He has been very good, excellent in fact and we are very pleased with him.
"I honestly did not realise how good in the air he was until he came here.
"Of course I have seen him head balls but it was the leap he has got which surprised me.
"He is a fabulous player, two-footed, quick, aggressive, brave, good vision he has got everything," he added.
United started their Champions League campaign with a 2-2 draw with French champions Lyon a fortnight ago while Fenerbahce recorded a 1-0 win over Czech Republic outfit Sparta Prague.