Wayne Rooney has expressed interest in a move to Sunday League side Wythenshawe Betts, which boasts retired Premier League stars such as Papis Cissé and Stephen Ireland.
Wayne Rooney is keen to join former Premier League stars in the weekend’s much talked about Sunday League clash with Wythenshawe Betts.
The former Manchester United and England legend has not played professionally since 2021 and has moved into management after ending his glittering playing career. Rooney is currently unemployed since being sacked as Plymouth manager less than 12 months ago, but is said to be keen to lace up his shoes once again for the Wythenshawe veteran.
The Evertonian is regarded as one of the greatest players of his generation and will compliment a squad that already boasts the likes of Stephen Ireland, Papis Cissé and Joleon Lescott. The star-studded group, made up of more than 35 former professional players, maintained their unbeatable start to the season with a 13-0 win over South Liverpool, and the Daily Mail reports that Rooney is keen to link up with them, coupled with their bright names and growing interest in their exploits.
He has returned to the pitch in recent years and is running around taking part in charity games as well as legend contests. Earlier this year, he scored the fastest goal in Soccer Aid history, passing Edwin van der Sar within four minutes.
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The Ireland international, who previously played for Manchester City and Aston Villa, said of his desire to join the club: “The calls haven’t stopped! People are calling, ‘How do I get involved, how do I sign up?'” I just want to be careful not to have too many people, and I want to have a mix of decent older veterans and maybe four or five pros each time. But it’s a lot of fun and can also serve as motivation for the week you prepare for it. That’s the situation now. ”
Former Wigan Athletic ace Maynor Figueroa plays a key role in the defence, with former Burnley playmaker George Boyd also included. Lescott scored a hat-trick last month, Oumar Niasse plays as a wing-back and former England striker Emile Heskey is among the players to feature in the Vets side.
It is understood UFC legend Conor McGregor is looking to arrange a showdown with Wythenshawe in Dublin next month, underscoring their huge profile.
Cisse played twice for the team, scoring all six goals in a 6-2 victory over the reigning champions, University Old Boys. The influx of former top-flight talent has certainly changed the dynamic for manager Kieran Meglan. He joked that it would be easy to coach such a group.
he said: “It’s surreal. I watched some of these when I was a kid too, and I have to admit, it made my job a lot easier!”
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