Manchester United legend Wayne Rooney has reportedly accepted a massive deal to become a regular pundit on the Match of the Day.
He has supposedly signed a two-year deal, which will see him earn a whopping £800,000 over two years.
Wayne Rooney Has Had a Poor Managerial Run
Rooney has not had much success as a manager. He has managed four clubs — Plymouth Argyle, Birmingham City, Derby County, and DC United — in the last four years.
His last stint with Argyle lasted only seven months. Rooney left his role by mutual consent on New Year’s Eve after Argyle dropped to the bottom of the Championship. He oversaw 25 matches between May and December, taking the club to 5 wins, 6 draws, and 14 defeats.
Before getting the role at Plymouth, Rooney endured an even poorer run at Birmingham City. The former Man Utd striker oversaw 2 wins, 4 draws, and 9 losses before losing his job. His PPM stood at an embarrassing 0.67.
🚨| Wayne Rooney is set to become a Match of the Day regular after signing a 2-year deal. ✍️
[@TheSun] pic.twitter.com/YqZXWKCb3T— (fan) Frank 🧠🇵🇹 (@AmorimEra_) July 6, 2025
Although Rooney has not had much success in the hot seat, he has done well in punditry. The Man Utd legend earned plaudits during his guest appearances on BBC’s Match of the Day and Amazon Prime Video’s Champions League coverage.
In a recent interview, the former England international shared that his focus was on punditry in the near future.
“Obviously just doing some TV work at the minute, so that’s what I’m doing. I’m enjoying it. So, that’s where I’ll be,” he said when TalkSPORT asked him about his career plans.
Now, as a full-time pundit on Match of the Day, he has the opportunity to make the most of his passion.
Wayne Rooney Replaces Gary Lineker on Match of the Day
In December 2024, the BBC announced that Gary Lineker would step down from his role as chief pundit on the Match of the Day programme. It marked the end of a 25-year partnership between Lineker and MOTD.
BBC now wants to shake things up in the studio, and they are starting by adding fan favourite Wayne Rooney. He will be joined by Kelly Cates, Gabby Logan, and Mark Chapman on Match of the Day.
Tomorrow's front page: Roo nets £800k Match of the Day pay
Read more: https://t.co/9h2Vuu7tdo pic.twitter.com/ecFucDkvSv
— The Sun (@TheSun) July 6, 2025
As per The Sun, Rooney has signed a massive £800,000, two-year deal with Match of the Day. If he continues to impress, there is provision for a two-year extension. BBC will reportedly make Rooney’s appointment public at the end of July.
Rooney’s deal also includes a punditry stint during the 2026 FIFA World Cup. He will play an important role in the broadcaster’s coverage of the grand event in the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
Rooney’s appointment may not make Man Utd boss Ruben Amorim all that happy. The Portuguese lashed out at Rooney in March after the ex-Man Utd striker called Amorim’s ambitions ‘naive.’ It will be interesting to see how the dynamic looks in the 2025/26 season.
