91Èȱ¬

Plymouth Argyle boss Wayne Rooney says goalkeeper Michael Cooper has wanted to leave since he took over.

Cooper, 24, is in talks with Sheffield United over a move reportedly worth around £2m.

The former academy player, who has made more than 150 appearances for the Pilgrims, turned down a new deal this summer and is out of contract next June.

"I spoke to Michael the day after I got announced for this role and from that moment he wanted to leave," Rooney told 91Èȱ¬ Radio Devon.

"The offer, once we received it, wasn't enough, but I think it gets to a point where the player wants to leave.

"I don't think it was for financial reasons, I think from my conversations with him he wanted a different challenge and he'd been here a long time.

"I'm disappointed because he's a fantastic goalkeeper, we made him a great offer to stay, but ultimately with a year left on his contract I think the club have to do what's in our interest and he moves on."

Rooney says he will get all of the money from the sale of Cooper to reinvest in his squad.

But the former England captain says it is frustrating that the move has taken so long.

Rooney, who was appointed in May, says it means some of the players he had been looking at to replace Cooper have got deals elsewhere.

"The more pre-season went on I was getting more and more convinced that he might stay," he said.

"But losing him at this time now makes it difficult because the players we had identified and looked at have moved on as well so it makes our job now a bit more difficult getting the goalkeeper in we want.

"But there are keepers out there for us to bring in, I'm more than happy with Conor (Hazard) and the work he's done, but we do need a keeper in."