D.C. United of Major League Soccer announced on Tuesday that former England footballer Wayne Rooney has been named the club’s new head coach.
Rooney, who previously played and led the Major League Soccer (MLS) team from 2018 to 2019, will return to D.C. United after a two-year stint as manager of Derby County in the English Championship.
The club confirmed in a statement that interim head coach Chad Ashton will continue in charge of the team until Wayne Rooney receives his Work Visa.
Rooney joined D.C. United as a Designated Player in June 2018. Rooney played in 48 games for the Black-and-Red, scoring 23 goals and assisting on 15 others.
He was voted MLS Best XI in 2018, an All-Star in 2019, and was an MLS MVP finalist in 2018.
“Wayne is a soccer legend and one of the most exciting and dynamic up-and-coming managers in our sport. He’s already proven in his young coaching career that he knows how to lead a group through adversity,” said Jason Levien and Steve Kaplan Co-Chairmen of D.C. United.
“He has an understanding of our league and what it takes to be successful in Major League Soccer thanks to his two-year stay with us as a player. The passion he showed while wearing Black-and-Red electrified our city and our club and we are so excited to welcome him back as our Head Coach.”
Wayne Rooney targeting two former United teammates
Wayne Rooney might join former Manchester United teammates Jesse Lingard and Ravel Morrison for DC United this summer, according to reports.
He has a difficult challenge ahead of him in Washington, as DC United presently sits last in the Eastern Conference, thus he will try to upgrade the club this summer.
According to Marca, DC is one of several MLS clubs who have made offers to Lingard, who is a free agent after his contract with Manchester United expired.
However, the 29-year-old has received attention from Premier League clubs West Ham United and Everton.
Meanwhile, the Sun reports that fellow free agent Morrison is considering a transfer to DC, which would be the 13th club in his shaky career at the age of 29.
The midfielder only appeared three times for United, and never with Rooney, since he failed to live up to the fanfare he received as a minor team player.
However, the duo were reunited last season when Rooney signed Morrison for Derby County, where he scored four goals in 36 Championship outings.
Lingard and Morrison were both members of Manchester United’s highly-rated youth side that won the FA Youth Cup in 2011, along with Paul Pogba!
