Wayne Rooney 'signs £800k deal' as Man Utd icon set for Match of the Day punditry gig

Wayne Rooney has reportedly inked an £800,000 deal to join Match of the Day as a pundit from next season. The England legend is set to join the BBC's flagship show following Gary Lineker's departure as host.

Lineker, who had been at the helm of the programme for 25 years, left at the end of last season. He was originally slated to continue hosting FA Cup fixtures and next summer's World Cup, but parted ways with the BBC following controversy over a social media post containing an alleged anti-Semitic trope.

His shoes have been filled by Mark Chapman, Gabby Logan and Kelly Cates, who will take turns hosting Match of the Day and its Sunday counterpart, Match of the Day 2.

According to The Sun, they will be joined by Rooney in his new role as a pundit. Since being dismissed as Plymouth manager on New Year's Eve, Rooney has been dipping his toes into punditry with the BBC, Sky Sports and Amazon Prime.

The deal reportedly includes the option of a two-year extension, and it's expected that Rooney will feature as a pundit during the World Cup alongside the likes of Alan Shearer, Jurgen Klinsmann, Rio Ferdinand and Joe Hart.

Rooney, 39, holds the record for the most goals scored for Manchester United and held the England record at the time of his retirement, a record since surpassed by Harry Kane.

He first made waves at his childhood club Everton before transferring to Old Trafford where he netted 253 times in 559 appearances, clinching five Premier League titles and the Champions League along the way.

Rooney's career trajectory took him back to Everton in 2017, followed by a stint at DC United in the US. He transitioned to player-manager at Derby in 2020 and eventually retired from playing. After a return to DC United as manager, he faced challenging times with Birmingham and Plymouth.

Lineker, who presented his last Match of the Day in May, left viewers with heartfelt words: "Alan [Shearer] and Micah [Richards], I suspect our paths will cross again very shortly," he said. "Let me take this opportunity to thank all of the other pundits that I've had the pleasure of working with over the last 25 years, you've made my job so much easier.

"Also, a huge thank you to those you don't see at home: the work that goes into making this iconic show is a huge team effort. From the editors, to the analysis team, from the commentators to the floor managers, from the producers to the camera operators, from the PAs to the subs, thank you all, you're the very best."

Lineker concluded with a nod to his football days: "Rather like my football career, everyone else did all the hard work and I got the plaudits. It's been an absolute privilege to host Match of the Day for a quarter of a century. It's been utterly joyous. I'd like to wish Gabby, Mark and Kelly for when they sit in this chair - the programme is in the best of hands.

"And my final thank you goes to all of you. Thank you for watching. Thank you for all of your love and support over the years. It's been so special - and I'm sorry that your team was always on last. Time to say goodbye. Goodbye."