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News, views and rumours relating to Manchester United in the past 24 hours.

Striker Wayne Rooney insists the squad’s warm-weather training trip in Dubai is just what the champions need to refresh and rejuvenate themselves ahead of the fight for fourth in the Premier League.

“We have a bit of a break before our next game now and hopefully we can prepare well and kick on for the big matches coming up,” said Rooney.

“It’s nice to spend time together. When you’re at home you go to training then you go home and see your families, but with trips like this you’re training then spending time with the lads. It’s good for us all to be together."

Rooney also called for patience for Juan Mata to have an impact at Old Trafford following his move in January from Chelsea for a club record fee of £37.5 million. The striker hailed the Spanish maestro’s start as ‘exciting’ but suggested it will take time for him to settle in.

"It's exciting," Rooney explained.

"Juan has come in and it's another world-class player to have in the squad. It'll take time - it can always take a little bit of time for every player to gel and to bond but we really hope we can all start scoring goals and help the team be successful."

In transfer news, United midfield target Ilkay Gundogan’s father has hinted his son could move away from Borussia Dortmund this summer.

“We will see what the future holds,” said the German’s father.

“But he is completely open to everything. We must wait.”

Meanwhile, Inter Milan are lining up a move for Patrice Evra, according to the Daily Mail with report suggesting the Italian giants sent scouts to watch the French vice-captain against Arsenal at the Emirates on Wednesday night.

Elsewhere, Barcelona midfielder Cesc Fabregas admitted he was ‘flattered’ by interest from United in the summer.

“It’s always flattering when a club like Manchester United talks very well about you and you can see they want you,” the former Arsenal captain told the BBC.

SEE ALSO: Five things Moyes should work on in Dubai with Manchester United

In other news, Manchester United have declared their support for safe standing. A source from the fanzine Red News told Sportsmail:

"Ed Woodward confirmed that the club now supports the principle of safe standing, and will argue for it at pertinent meetings."

Would you agree with plans for safe standing at Old Trafford?

Football Federation Australia has confirmed the Socceroos will play Ecuador in a friendly in London next month.

The match will take place at The Den, home of Championship side Millwall, and serve as preparation for the World Cup finals, where Australia will take on Spain, the Netherlands and Chile.

Ecuador, captained by Manchester United's Antonio Valencia, have also qualified for the tournament in Brazil, drawn in a group with France, Honduras and Switzerland.

"We're excited to have secured the match against Ecuador, which offers us a good test against South American opposition leading into the World Cup," Socceroos coach Ange Postecoglou said in a statement.

"We have tried to secure opponents for the games leading into the World Cup to replicate the type of football we are expecting to face in Brazil and playing Ecuador gives us some quality South American opposition ahead of the first group stage match against Chile.

"This is also the last match we will play before we get together in May for our final World Cup preparations so it's important that we can build on the first positive steps we took in the match against Costa Rica late last year."