Birmingham City will scrape the coffers to hand Wayne Rooney the most attractive possible package to become their new boss, according to reports.
However, the man expected to take over from sacked manager John Eustace will still be earning a pittance compared to what he was used to at Manchester United. Rooney recently re-entered free agency after parting ways with Major League Soccer side D.C. United and is widely expected to move back to his native England.
And St. Andrew's would appear to be his next destination amid a swell of reports suggesting Blues co-owner Tom Brady is a fan of the Rooney project. But England's former all-time top-scorer will rake in less than 10% of the salary he once boasted at Old Trafford.
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It was at the pinnacle of his career that the Liverpudlian earned an eye-watering £300,000 a week at United, which equates to a little more than £15.5million per year. He was the Red Devils' highest-paid player at the time, though those figures have since become more commonplace at Old Trafford.
But The Sun reported Championship outfit Birmingham have offered Rooney a salary of £1.5m to take charge as the club hunts promotion. The offer works out at around £29,000 per week, which is almost double the £830,000-a-year wage (£16,000 a week) he was reportedly paid in Washington.
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It's also more than three times as much as £9,000-a-week Eustace was earning prior to his dismissal on Monday. The decision to fire Eustace was criticised by many among the club's support, with Birmingham sitting sixth in the Championship and riding a two-win streak.
However, it seems Rooney's newfound availability after missing out on the MLS Cup play-offs may make him too good an opportunity to miss. The former forward's only previous stint managing in England was a two-season spell at Derby County, which ended with the club's relegation to League One amid major financial problems.
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“It’s the right time [to leave]," said Rooney upon confirming his exit from D.C. United. "I’ve done everything I can to get this club into the play-offs. It’s not a single thing that’s happened. It’s about timing.”
It's reported former team-mates Ashley Cole and John O'Shea will form part of Rooney's coaching staff if he takes the reins at St. Andrew's. Former England colleague Cole last worked under Frank Lampard at Everton, while ex-United squad-mate O'Shea is currently assistant to Stephen Kenny with the Republic of Ireland.
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