Wayne Rooney 'lands €927k deal' as new Match of the Day pundit
Lineker had been at the helm of the show for 25 years before stepping down at the conclusion of the previous season. He was due to continue hosting FA Cup matches and the upcoming World Cup next summer, but he parted ways with the BBC entirely after a controversy over a social media post containing an alleged anti-Semetic trope.
His shoes have been filled by Mark Chapman, Gabby Logan and Kelly Cates, who will take turns presenting Match of the Day and its Sunday counterpart, Match of the Day 2.
Joining this trio will be Rooney, who is set to feature as a pundit, according to The Sun. Since his dismissal as Plymouth manager on New Year's Eve, Rooney has been dabbling in more punditry work on both the BBC and Sky Sports.
The agreement reportedly includes the option for a two-year extension, and it's anticipated that Rooney will join the likes of Alan Shearer, Jurgen Klinsmann, Rio Ferdinand and Joe Hart as a pundit for the World Cup, reports the Mirror.
Rooney, 39, holds the record for the most goals scored for Manchester United and held the same record for England at the time of his retirement, a record since broken by Harry Kane.
He first made waves at his childhood club Everton before transferring to Old Trafford, where he netted 253 goals in 559 appearances, clinching five Premier League titles and a Champions League trophy along the way.
Rooney made his way back to Everton in 2017 before jetting off to the US to join DC United. He took on the dual role of player-manager at Derby in 2020, where he eventually retired from playing.
After a stint managing DC United once more, Rooney faced challenging times with Birmingham and Plymouth. This new chapter could mark the end of his time in management.
Lineker, who presented his last Match of the Day in May, left viewers with heartfelt parting words. "Alan [Shearer] and Micah [Richards], I suspect our paths will cross again very shortly," he expressed.
He seized the moment to express gratitude to his colleagues: "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."
Lineker also paid tribute to the unseen heroes behind the scenes: "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."
Reflecting on his career, he joked: "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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The Irish Sun
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RTÉ News
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Neighbours legend becomes latest star to sign for Strictly Come Dancing after soap's end leaves him free to take part
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