Manchester United legend Wayne Rooney will return to our TV screens in the summer as a pundit for Euro 2024. The 38-year-old has made a few appearances on Sky Sports recently, followed by a cameo on TNT Sports, and his on-camera presence will continue as a representative for the BBC over the next few months.
Alongside Rooney, Micah Richards, Alan Shearer, Rio Ferdinand, Frank Lampard, Ellen White and Joe Hart will be analysing the proceedings as studio analysts. Rooney’s pundit appearances have mainly taken place during Man United’s games, with the club’s former striker remaining tight-lipped about the extent of the necessary rebuilding at Old Trafford.
“You have to build the team around Bruno (Fernandes),” he said after the 1-0 defeat to Arsenal earlier this month. “He’s the only player with quality, he’s got fighting spirit.” Asked who the club could keep this summer, he replied: “I think the young players and then… all the other players they should get rid of. I think you keep the young players, you keep Bruno and I think there has to be a big clear-out. That’s what it has to be.”
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“(Onana) I think he’s gotten better. He had a shaky start to the season but I think he’s gotten better. I think (Diogo) Dalot has done well, (Harry) Maguire has had an up and down season. To compete, they need better players to compete in this league.
“Don’t get me wrong, these players are good players and good Premier League players, but to compete with Man City, Liverpool and Arsenal they need better players.”
Regarding the unsuccessful Marcus Rashford, Rooney said: “We all know that Marcus has the ability and the ability to play at the highest level. But we haven’t seen that. I just wonder if it’s time for Marcus himself to go somewhere else. I don’t know. I think he has to ask himself that question.”
After retiring in 2021, Rooney initially became manager at Derby County before taking over at DC United. In October, Rooney was appointed as the new manager of Birmingham City following a full takeover by American owners, but his tenure was largely unsuccessful and he was sacked less than three months later.
