The best way to get Wayne Rooney “back on track” is by sending him to Major League Soccer on a free, according to former England striker Stan Collymore.
Rooney has come in for criticism for his performances this season, after taking some blame for England’s Euro 2016 exit, and has scored just four times in his last 25 games for club and country.
And Collymore suggests under-pressure manager José Mourinho could ‘score some Brownie points’ by letting the 30-year-old move overseas.
He even suggested a move to Serie A, allowing Rooney to follow in the footsteps of international teammate Joe Hart, who is spending the current campaign on loan with Torino.
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Writing in the Mirror, Collymore says ‘I’d expect his agent Paul Stretford to be involved as well, and to be saying, ‘You know what? Let’s have two or three weeks out of the firing line, maybe a month, and let’s sit back and see what the situation is then.’’
‘And if all parties agreed then that it’s better for the player and United to part ways, Mourinho could go to the board and score some Brownie points by telling them, ‘It’s time to let Wayne go.
‘He’s earned the right to a free transfer to a club in MLS, or Italy maybe — but not to one of our Premier League rivals.’
‘A move to one of those leagues could well see him get himself back on track, and give United the opportunity to do the same.’
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Collymore himself had a short spell overseas after leaving Bradford City in 2001, spending less than two months with Real Oviedo in Spain before announcing his retirement.
He was 30 when he moved to La Liga, the same age Rooney is now, but the former Nottingham Forest and Liverpool frontman believes Rooney still has time on his side.
‘The reasons he is in the team are his energy and ability to keep the ball, but he isn’t bringing either to the team any more,’ Collymore writes.
‘That’s why he ought to be looking for a conversation with Mourinho along the lines of, ‘Gaffer, I’m putting my hands up. I’m not doing it at the minute. I need to be honest with myself and ask, ‘Am I still good enough for Man United?”’
