Wayne Rooney ‘is in talks to land new role as Match of the Day pundit’

Wayne Rooney is reportedly in talks to join Match of the Day as a pundit from next season.

Earlier this week, the BBC confirmed that Kelly Cates will present Match of the Day following Gary Lineker's departure at the end of the season – forming a three-person roster with Mark Chapman and Gabby Logan.

Looking ahead, Lineker will continue to present the Men's FA Cup in 2025-2026 and the 2026 World Cup for the BBC.

Rooney hopes to join the show as a rotating guest expert and could receive up to £200,000 a year for his services, according to The Sun.

Last April, Rooney was set to debut on the show but had to withdraw from his performance due to a back injury.

A month later he took over as manager at Plymouth Argyle, but was sacked on New Year's Eve last year after 25 games, with the club in freefall and at the bottom of the Championship.

The former England and Manchester United captain, 39, returned to his wife and children in Cheshire after another disastrous spell in management ended after seven months.

It was his third spell in the English second tier after failures at Derby County and Birmingham City. He has also enjoyed success in the United States after a stellar playing career in which he was England's best player for a generation.

In a statement he thanked the club for giving him the job in May, stating that Argyle would always have a 'special place in my heart' and that he and the fans would have 'memories that we will share forever' .

He said: “I would like to take this opportunity to thank the board of Plymouth Argyle Football Club, in particular Simon Hallett and Neil Dewsnip with whom I have had a great relationship.

'Thank you also to all the staff who made me feel welcome and who make the club such a special place, the players and fans for their commitment and support during my time as Head Coach and I wish them all the best for the future.

'To the Green Army thank you for making the games at Home Park so special, they are memories we will share forever.

'I would also like to give a special mention to my coaching staff Kevin Nancekivell, Simon Ireland, Darryl Flahavan and Mike Phelan for their knowledge, dedication, help and support.

'Plymouth Argyle will always have a special place in my heart, and I will continue to look forward to and be interested in their results.'

Comments

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *