Wayne Rooney still has the offer of an ambassadorial role at Manchester United on retirement despite having left the club for Everton.
When signing his last agreement at Old Trafford in February 2014, Rooney expected to finish his playing career at United. The terms also included an ambassadorial position but the contractually binding nature of this ended when the player left for Goodison Park.
Rooney’s deal at United took him to 2019, due to the inclusion of the club holding a further year as an option. Last summer Rooney stated interest in extending his stay even further, which would have taken him towards retirement as he neared his 35th birthday.
Yet after José Mourinho dropped him last season Rooney fell out of favour and left United this summer after 13 years. This week he also criticised the falling standards of players who have been recruited at United recently. However, despite this and United no longer being contractually bound to make him an ambassador, it is understood Rooney will still be offered a role.
Rooney ended his career as the club’s record goalscorer, with 253 goals, and it is this status in particular that United feel makes the Liverpudlian ideal to represent the Old Trafford club.
The player, however, said recently of the club: “There are standards that you have to keep when you are at Manchester United. That came from the manager Sir Alex Ferguson when I went to United and it was then passed down through the dressing room by the likes of [Ryan] Giggsy, Gary Neville and [Paul] Scholesy.
“Over the last few years, it was down to me and Michael Carrick to keep the new players maintaining those standards. That became more difficult over the last few years, with some of the players who joined the club. There are traditions at United that have to be maintained.”