Wayne Rooney is closing in on a shock return to English football with Derby County.
The former England and Manchester United captain is due in the UK on Tuesday, talkSPORT understands, for further talks with the Rams over a deal to become a player-coach at the Championship club.
Rooney is currently plying his trade in the United States with DC United, where he was recently named captain, and is contracted to the club until 2021.
But he is keen to return to England and is now poised to end his contract with DC United early.
Rooney could well leave at the end of the current MLS season, which finishes in November, with Derby keen for him to join in January.
Derby appointed Phillip Cocu as manager on a four-year contract earlier this summer after Frank Lampard left his post at the club to take over at Chelsea.
Speaking about the rumours Rooney could join his staff, Cocu said: “I can’t say anything about that – we’re working hard to complete the team and we always try to find the best player in a certain position.
“In the world of football, we cannot speak before it is signed.”
Rooney still believes he has plenty to offer as a player but has also spoken of his desire to go into coaching, recently saying: “I’m taking the steps to get my badges completed and when I finish playing I’ll see what opportunities come up.
“There’s already offers which have been made, but at the minute I’m still a player and I want to enjoy playing, and then I’ll see which offers are right when I do finish.”
Asked if he had been contacted by clubs from England or the United States, he added: “Yeah, both. There’s an opportunity for me to go into management straight away and when I do hang my boots up, that decision will be made on what the ambition of the club is first of all, and what my ambitions are and what’s right for both myself and that particular team.”
Rooney is England’s all-time record scorer with 53 goals and Man United’s record goalscorer with 253 goals in 559 appearances.
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