Any player who has spent most of his career at a single club aspires to retire there. Until few years back, this thought was quite an assurance for Wayne Rooney at Manchester United. Now, there is no realistic target left for the 31-year-old at Old Trafford except to break Sir Bobby Charlton’s record. If anything, his image has been slightly tarnished after the last couple of seasons where he has been abject.
The England forward has scored a whopping 248 goals for Manchester United in 537 appearances till date with 140 assists. He has won it all for the club- Premier league, Champions League, Europa League, FA Cup, Club World Cup, you name it and he has won it. But he has only 1 goal in his last appearance this season.
Things have changed drastically now, with the forward demoted to bench with little game time. It seems that the sunny days are gone for Rooney with below par performances.
Though the striker wants to stay at the club and fight for his place, it doesn’t look to be a wise decision anymore if he has aspirations to play in the 2018 World Cup, as Alan Shearer pointed out.
Rooney has 53 goals for his country in 118 appearances till date and if he manages to keep himself fit and play regular first team football, his international place is unlikely to be in jeopardy.
T4O looks at 3 possible destinations Wayne Rooney should opt for to revive his career.
Real Madrid- The whole footballing world is evident to Wayne Rooney’s link-up play with Cristiano Ronaldo. They used to rip apart defences once, in Ferguson’s era. Many still believe that they could recreate the magic once again and with Zidane as the manager, wonders could happen. Rooney was even linked with Madrid in 2010 with the England forward requesting Ferguson for a transfer, which fell through at the last minute.
Rooney might not be the same player he was a few years ago, but he still has that big name factor and Madrid never shy away from signing someone of that aura.
LA Galaxy- It won’t be a surprise if Rooney opts to go to the States. Many of his English compatriots have in recent times. Many great European players like Pirlo, Villa, Gerrard, Henry have taken that road. Playing time would be guaranteed if Rooney maintains match fitness. MLS is quite competitive these days if that is his concern.
Shanghai SIPG- Now, the League surely lacks the respect, but it is the perfect destination for a player who would want to retire with big bucks. China are going all guns blazing to create a brand for their football and many players like Hulk, Ramires, Graziano Pelle, Demba Ba, and Asamoah Gyan are playing there. Nicolas Anelka and Wayne Rooney had shorts stints in China too. It is also a feasible option for Rooney.
