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Wayne Rooney'signs huge BBC Match of the Day deal'after Gary Lineker exit

Manchester United legend Wayne Rooney will reportedly join the BBC Match of the Day team from next season

Wayne Rooney has reportedly signed a contract with the BBC

Wayne Rooney has reportedly signed a contract with the BBC

(Image: PA)

Wayne Rooney has reportedly inked an £800,000 contract to be a pundit on Match of the Day starting next season. The England legend is set to join the BBC's premier programme following Gary Lineker's departure as host.

Lineker had been at the helm of the show for 25 years before stepping down at the end of last season. He was scheduled to continue presenting FA Cup matches and the upcoming World Cup, but he parted ways with the BBC entirely following controversy over a social media post that contained an alleged anti-Semitic trope.

His successors in the presenting chair are 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 (via the Mirror), they will be joined by Rooney in his new role as a pundit. Since being dismissed as Plymouth manager on New Year's Eve, the Manchester United legend has been increasingly involved in punditry on both the BBC and Sky Sports.

The deal reportedly includes the option for 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, is United's record goalscorer and also held the England record at the time of his retirement, a figure since broken by Harry Kane for the Three Lions.

He first made a name for himself at his childhood club Everton before transferring to Old Trafford, where he netted 253 goals in 559 appearances, winning five Premier League titles and the Champions League.

Rooney made a nostalgic return to Everton in 2017 before venturing across the Atlantic to join DC United. His transition to player-manager at Derby came in 2020, marking the end of his playing days.

After a stint back in Washington as manager of DC United, Rooney flopped in charge of Birmingham and Plymouth.

Lineker delivered his farewell on Match of the Day in May. "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.

"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."

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