Wayne Rooney, Manchester United's all-time record goalscorer and former England captain, has transitioned into a successful punditry career with the BBC since 2025. He is now a regular on Match of the Day and will cover Wrexham's FA Cup clash with Chelsea this Saturday.
Reports indicate Rooney signed a two-year contract worth around £800,000, placing him among the BBC's highest-paid football pundits at roughly £400,000 per year, just behind Alan Shearer's estimated £450,000. BBC bosses were keen to secure him after his praised analysis during Euro 2024.
During his playing peak, Rooney earned over £300,000 weekly, and with endorsements from Nike, Coca-Cola and EA Sports, his personal fortune is believed to be around £170 million.
Rooney has relaxed a long-standing 'golden rule' regarding his eldest son Kai, 16, who is rising through Manchester United's academy. Previously, Kai asked his father to stay away from matches to avoid media attention, but Wayne was recently spotted watching Kai play for the Under-18s, signalling the youngster is now ready for the pressure.
Despite his punditry success, Rooney's ultimate ambition is to manage Manchester United. He has described returning to the club as a 'no-brainer' and stated he would '100 per cent' accept an assistant manager role to help the club he loves.
