Wayne Rooney Admits He Wanted to Finish Career at Old Trafford and Reveals 'Career Highlight'
Manchester United's record goalscorer Wayne Rooney has admitted that he 'misses' the club following his departure in 2017, and wishes he could have finished career with the club, although he insisted it was the 'right time' to step away when he did.
Rooney, who will play a farewell international for England against the United States on Thursday night, scored 253 goals in 559 appearances for United. He won 12 major trophies, including five Premier League titles, and was club captain for three years from 2014.
"Of course you miss it. It was the highlight of my career, playing for Manchester United and I was there for so long. But it was the right time [to leave]," Rooney told MUTV this week.
"I wasn't playing, first of all. I have always been a player who wants to play. Obviously I spoke to the manager and it didn't look like I was going to play, so it was the right decision and the right time for me to go," the 33-year-old added.
"Obviously, you wish, the ideal situation was staying there and finishing your career there, but football changes. Different things happen and things happen for a reason."
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Rooney rejoined boyhood club Everton, 13 years after trading Goodison Park for Old Trafford as an 18-year-old. He scored 10 Premier League for the Toffees during the 2017/18 campaign, but took an offer to join D.C. United in Major League Soccer during the summer.
Rooney transformed a struggling team, taking over as captain and firing D.C. United from the foot of the Eastern Conference into the MLS Cup playoffs.
He is already looking forward to returning to Old Trafford over the Christmas period to watch a game and meet up with some old friends.
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"The fans give me a great reception every time I go back and when I went back with Everton. That was a nice moment. I had some great moments and obviously the testimonial," he said. "The fans have been brilliant to me and it will be nice to see a few familiar faces when I go to a game over Christmas."
