Manchester United record goal-scorer Wayne Rooney is keen on becoming the club’s manager in the future.
Wayne Rooney is currently managing Derby County in the Championship and is fighting an uphill battle to keep them afloat in the English second division. They accepted a 21-point deduction due to financial irregularities under the previous ownership.
Under Rooney, the Rams have fought hard to overturn the deficit, with the Manchester United legend’s leadership coming in for special praise. Derby are still bottom of the league table, with 25 points from 39 matches after deduction.
The 36-year-old recently revealed that he was offered an interview to take over as the Everton manager, but he has his eyes on Manchester United. England and Manchester United’s record goal-scorer realises that he is still not ready for the job at Old Trafford but is ready to wait for the right moment.
“The whole reason in me going into management is Manchester United. I got offered the job interview for the Everton job. I want to be Manchester United manager. I know I am not ready now but I have to plan everything I do to make sure one day it will happen,” Rooney said at a black-tie event in Manchester, as quoted by The Sun.
Manchester United are currently on the lookout for a permanent manager to take over from interim boss Ralf Rangnick in the summer. They have been linked with the likes of Ajax’s Erik ten Hag, Paris Saint-Germain’s Mauricio Pochettino, Sevilla boss Julen Lopetegui and Spain head coach Luis Enrique. Ten Hag is believed to be the favourite to permanently take up the Manchester United job.
Rooney also opened up on Marcus Rashford’s current situation at the event, urging him to leave him behind and become United’s record goal-scorer. The forward has been struggling for form recently. This season, he has scored just five goals in 26 appearances across competitions for the club.
“To get the record and be United’s highest goal scorer is massive. What I hope is that Marcus Rashford gets his head right and goes and breaks that record. He is a Manchester lad,” Rooney said.
As for Rooney’s desire to become the Manchester United manager, only time will tell whether he will return to Old Trafford in a coaching capacity. For now, he continues to make an impression at Derby County.