Wayne Rooney’s BBC deal, Man Utd ambition and the family rule eased for son Kai | OneFootball

Wayne Rooney is thriving as a BBC pundit while keeping alive his Manchester United ambitions and easing a long-standing family rule around son Kai. According to Wales Online, the United and England great is juggling studio success, parental sensitivities and a desire to coach again.

After retiring, difficult spells with Plymouth Argyle and Birmingham City steered him towards television, he joined the BBC in 2025 and is now a Match of the Day regular.

The 40-year-old will be at the Racecourse Ground on Saturday to analyse Wrexham v Chelsea in the FA Cup fifth round, a standout tie.

Reports indicate a two-year BBC deal worth roughly £800,000, about £400,000 a year, just behind Alan Shearer on around £450,000. His Euro 2024 work drew praise, and at his playing peak he earned more than £300,000 a week.

At home, a golden rule once kept him away from Kai's matches to avoid heavy crowds and attention. That has eased, with Rooney recently in the Old Trafford stands for an Under-18s game, as the 16-year-old increasingly features from the right rather than through the middle.

Rooney still wants a top-level return and says a United comeback would be a no-brainer. He would accept an assistant role if asked, is not pleading for work, and says appointing the manager is the key call. He says he would return if the right opportunity arose, is not in a rush, and has left open a non-managerial return to Everton or United.

Source: Wales Online