Moyes to Sue Rooney

England striker Wayne Rooney is being sued by his former manager David Moyes over comments made in his autobiography, it was confirmed today.

The book, entitled My Story So Far, accuses the Everton manager of being overbearing, controlling and ultimately responsible for Rooney's £27m transfer to Manchester United in 2004. Moyes is reportedly claiming more than £300,000 in libel damages from his former player.

In the book Rooney claims he told Moyes he wanted to leave Everton after a newspaper claimed he had visited prostitutes. The footballer goes on to suggest Moyes leaked details of the conversation to the Liverpool Echo newspaper, which led Rooney to controversially quit the club he had supported from childhood.

In the writ issued at the High Court in London, Moyes claimed the allegation had "injured his professional and personal reputation and caused serious embarrassment and distress". Moyes has also issued libel proceedings against the book's author Hunter Davies and publishers Harper Collins.

He has asked for an injunction preventing the offending passage of the book from being published again. If the writ is not settled the case will go before the High Court.

A spokesman for Rooney refused to comment on the proceedings and Moyes's solicitor was unavailable. Rooney has faced severe criticism from Everton fans since his departure from the club where he made his debut at the age of 16.