D.C. United striker Wayne Rooney isn’t interested in a return to Europe on loan this winter, saying he’s committed to D.C. United and that playing for another side would only serve as a distraction from his latest project.
Rooney has been brilliant for D.C. since joining the club from Everton in mid-summer, helping to lift the team from the bottom of the Eastern Conference table into the playoffs.
United have picked up 39 points and won 12 times since Rooney’s arrival, with the former Manchester United and England captain scoring 12 goals in the process.
However, despite his success in the U.S., Rooney, who signed a multi-year deal with D.C., said he is not considering a return to Europe on loan in the January window or unretiring from international football should England boss Gareth Southgate make the call.
Rooney told ESPN FC in an exclusive interview:
“No. I think I committed myself to D.C. And that’s why I’m going to give everything to D.C. In the offseason I’ll stay here for a lot of that time with my children in school. I’ll go back during Christmas to see some family and friends.
“I’m committed to D.C. and I don’t think it’d be right for me to fly back and forth to play on loan with another team.
“I think [England] are doing fantastic. It was the right time for me to retire with the group of young players. It was the right time to let them come in and flourish in the team. I have no regrets over it.
“I think the players have stood up and done really well. Hopefully they can go one step further in the next international tournament and get to a final.”
Some pundits were skeptical about Rooney’s chances of finding success in MLS after a disappointing single season with Everton in the Premier League, but the 33-year-old has proven those doubters wrong in his short time in the U.S.
