Wayne Rooney is set to return to management four months after being sacked by Birmingham

Legendary Manchester United and England striker Wayne Rooney is in line for a return to management at Championship side Plymouth Argyle.

Rooney has been out of work since January after being sacked by relegated Birmingham City on the final day of the 2023/24 season. Birmingham lost nine of 15 games under Rooney and his scheduled three-and-a-half-year tenure ended after just three months.

telegraph revealed on Thursday that Rooney is keen on a return to management and has been approached for an interview by Plymouth, whose director of football Neil Dewnship coached him when he was coming through Everton’s youth team.

Former Sheffield United manager Paul Heckingbottom has reportedly also been interviewed for the role.

BBC Sport they later reported that Rooney was expected to be named by Plymouth at the weekend.

Rooney, 38, who is Man Utd’s record goalscorer, cut his teeth in management at Derby County when he was appointed as part of a four-strong interim coaching team that includes Liam Rosenior, Shay Given and Justin Walker.

He impressed enough to earn the full-time job, ultimately saving the club from relegation despite a terrible run of form towards the end of the 2020/21 season.

Derby were awarded more points deductions, totaling 21 points the following season, leading to their relegation to League One and Rooney’s resignation. He then headed to MLS, taking charge of DC United for a year before returning home after failing to make the play-offs at the end of the season.

Birmingham offered Rooney a way back into managing the English club, only for his spell to go awry, but he said in February that he was keen to put the failure behind him and get back into the dugout.

“I definitely want to get back into driving. It was a setback what happened in Birmingham but I’m a fighter and I want to get back into it,” he said. “You know as a manager (being sacked) is part of the job and you’re going to have setbacks. It’s about how you come back. I’ve had time to reflect and I’ll make sure I get it right next time.”

Rooney has recently worked as a television pundit, earning praise from some sections of social media for his insight and honesty. He will be part of the BBC’s expert panel for the upcoming Euro 2024 tournament in Germany.

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