As the striker prepares to move to Derby County, his former team-mate believes he has his eye on a different position in the future
Incoming Derby County player-coach Wayne Rooney’s ultimate aim is to become Manchester United manager, according to Rio Ferdinand.
Rooney will take his first steps into coaching with Derby when he leaves D.C. United in January, having agreed his departure from MLS on Tuesday.
But former United team-mate Ferdinand believes Rooney is already looking beyond his role at Pride Park.
Rooney is United’s record goalscorer, netting 253 times in 559 appearances in all competitions.
And Ferdinand sees a future plan for Rooney to take Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s place in the dugout, echoing ex-England colleague and former Derby boss Frank Lampard, who recently got his big chance at Chelsea.
“His endgame is managing Manchester United, 100 per cent,” Ferdinand told several British newspapers.
“It’s a fact. If he tells you any different, he’s lying. He will want to do that.
“Only time will tell if he’s going to be the man to be able to do that.
“A lot of things have got to marry up for that to happen. Frank was right place, right time.
“Can that happen for Wayne? We’ll see.”
Ferdinand believes Rooney has the right temperament for management, adding: “He’s not scared of sharing his opinion, which is a good thing.
“He can be hard to read sometimes, which I think is something that’s good to have in a manager as well.
“I think he’s got a good understanding of today’s player. He’s that age. He’s still connected to the younger generation. He can talk the language.
“There are a lot of managers out there now who are a bit detached from the next generation. It’s so different now.”
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