Big Win for Moyes in Rooney Libel Row

The publishers of Wayne Rooney's autobiography face a bill that could exceed half a million pounds, following legal action brought by David Moyes. The Everton manager will receive up to £150,000 himself from HarperCollins over claims made by Rooney in My Story So Far, with the balance payable in costs.

Moyes named the publisher, along with the Manchester United striker and his ghost writer, Hunter Davies, in a libel writ issued in April last year after the hardback version of Rooney's book claimed he had betrayed the striker's confidence and effectively forced him out of Everton.

In the book, published in the aftermath of the last World Cup, Rooney described the strained relationship with his former manager, and gave his account of the events leading up to his £27million transfer to United in August 2004. He claimed he had told Moyes he wanted to leave Everton after it emerged he had visited prostitutes, and that Moyes passed details of the conversation to the Liverpool Echo. Moyes reacted furiously to the allegations and instructed his lawyers to sue.

In a series of pre-trial hearings held at the High Court in London last week, defence lawyers acting for HarperCollins had their arguments dismissed and Moyes will now receive an apology and an out-of-court settlement worth between £50,000 and £150,000 within weeks. 'It is likely to be six figures, with additional legal costs,' according to a senior industry source. The legal bill for both sides, payable by HarperCollins, is expected to total up to £400,000, he added, taking the overall loss suffered by the publishers to around £500,000.

The ruling will be an embarrassment for Rooney, although neither the player nor Davies, who was hired to write the first in a series of five books with Rooney, will pick up the legal bill. They were both named in the writ, but it will be paid in full by HarperCollins, the publisher owned by media mogul Rupert Murdoch. A spokesman for the company refused to comment.

In the writ, Moyes argued that the claim had 'injured his professional and personal reputation and caused serious embarrassment and distress'. He was seeking damages of £300,000. The accusations were removed from subsequent paperback versions of the book.

The episode could have proved a distraction for United as they attempt to retain the Premier League title and win the Champions League. A trial had been scheduled for next month, just as the season will be reaching a climax.