Man Utd have zero curiosity in giving Wayne Rooney function at membership in blow to legend
Manchester United have snubbed a second club legend – after ruling out an ambassadorial role for record goalscorer Wayne Rooney.
Last month United stunned football after announcing Sir Alex Ferguson was being axed from his £2m-a-year ambassadorial role at the end of this season. The decision was taken as part of cost-cutting measures overseen by co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe.
And now it has emerged there are no plans to give a similar job to iconic ex-United striker Rooney. United wouldn’t offer the current Plymouth manager such a position while he remains in work.
But even if he wasn’t, this situation wouldn’t change. Rooney finished his glittering United career as the club’s all-time leading scorer with 253 goals in 559 appearances.
He broke Sir Bobby Charlton’s long-standing record in 2017, and is the only United player in history to score more than 250 goals. Rooney also won 16 major trophies with United, and is regarded as one of the club’s greatest ever players alongside the likes of Charlton, George Best, Cristiano Ronaldo, Bryan Robson and Duncan Edwards.
(Image: Nick Potts/PA Wire)
Rooney’s former team-mates Peter Schmeichel, Nemanja Vidic and Wes Brown are current United ambassadors, along with the likes of Andy Cole, Denis Irwin and Robson. But despite his huge contribution to the success of United, Rooney is not in line to join these on the list.
The news will be unpopular with United supporters, who still regard Rooney as one of the most legendary players to grace Old Trafford. Rooney left United in 2017 to re-join Everton, before hanging up his boots in 2021 to focus on management.
The former England captain won 120 caps and is his country’s second greatest scorer behind Harry Kane. The 39-year-old took charge of Championship side Plymouth at the end of last season.
