Wayne Rooney eyeing reunion with ex-Manchester United man at Derby County

Derby County boss Wayne Rooney wants to bring former Manchester United teammate Phil Bardsley to Pride Park next season.

According to The Sun, if the Rams can survive relegation from the Sky Bet Championship, Rooney will look to bring the 36-year-old to Derby on a free transfer this summer.

Bardsley currently plays for Premier League side Burnley but his contract is due to expire this summer and he is yet to play a Premier League match this season.

The former Manchester United youth player has had a lengthy career, including permanent spells with the Red Devils themselves – where he shared a dressing room with Rooney – as well as Sunderland, Stoke City and Burnley.

The 36-year-old also had loan spells at Royal Antwerp, Burnley, Rangers and Aston Villa during his time at Man United.

Since joining Burnley in 2017, Bardsley has made 72 appearances in all competitions for the Clarets.

The Verdict

We’ve seen some more experienced players really contribute for Derby County in recent years, with the likes of Phil Jagielka and Curtis Davies playing well for the club this campaign.

However, given the gap to safety for Derby County at present, it doesn’t look like there is a high chance of this signing happening, given that it reportedly depends on the Rams remaining in the second-tier.

Derby are 22nd after their win over Fulham on Friday night, but their gap to Reading and safety is nine points with just four games to go.

With League One next season looking probable at this stage, it remains to be seen whether or not Bardsley would drop down to that level.

If Derby do pull off a miracle and survive though, Bardsley could prove to be another decent veteran addition for the Rams going forward.

Source