D.C United have confirmed the acquisition of Everton’s Wayne Rooney in a deal estimated to be around £12 million ($16,200,540 USD).
Rooney, who is England and Manchester United’s all-time leading goal scorer, netted eleven goals for Everton in the 2017-2018 season. Rooney’s eleven goals with Everton in 2017-2018 all arrived before January 2018.
The Toffees signed Rooney last summer on a free transfer from Manchester United, which witnessed the 32-year-old Croxteth-born superstar rejoin his boyhood club Everton.
Prior to the announcement of Rooney agreeing in principle to join D.C United from Everton, D.C United had expressed interest in signing Atlético Madrid striker Fernando Torres and Boca Juniors forward, Carlos Tévez.
Rooney will join former Manchester United teammates Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Bastian Schweinsteiger in Major League Soccer, who both joined Major League Soccer clubs in marquee Designated Player deals; Ibrahimovic signed for Los Angeles Galaxy on March 23, 2018 and Schweinsteiger signed for Chicago Fire on March 21, 2017.
D.C United’s potential acquisition of Rooney is the biggest signing in the history of the club with Rooney also being the highest-paid player to play for D.C United.
Rooney, a veteran of three FIFA World Cup tournaments (2006, 2010, 2014) was believed to have made the decision on joining D.C United based on the uncertain future of current Everton boss, Sam Allardyce. After finishing eighth in the Premier League, there is speculation that Allardyce may leave Goodison Park this summer.
Rooney had one year remaining on his contract at Everton, which the former Manchester United hero signed last summer when he returned to Goodison Park.
Rooney, a lifelong Evertonian, had been linked with a big money move to the Chinese Super League before agreeing in principle to a £12 million switch to Major League Soccer’s D.C United.
Throughout his illustrious career, Rooney has won the English Premier League five times, the UEFA Champions League once, the UEFA Europa League once, the F.A Cup once, the EFL Cup three times, the Community Shield four times and the FIFA World Club Cup once.
In addition, Rooney has been named PFA Players’ Player of the Year once, FWA Footballer of the Year once, BBC Sports Personality of the Year once. He is also a four-time winner of the England Senior Men’s Player of the Year Award. Rooney is the most accomplished English player of his generation and an English Premier League great.
Rooney’s agreement in principle to join Major League Soccer club D.C United has created incessant buzz in the mainstream media on both sides of the Atlantic.
Rooney will be D.C United’s only English player in club history to have won both the English Premier League and UEFA Champions League, coupled alongside being D.C United’s most talked about signing of all-time.
The question remains: How will Wayne Rooney fare with D.C United?
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(Photo Credit: Alex Livesey/Getty Images Europe)
