Wayne Rooney has offered two jobs after being sacked by Birmingham City

Wayne Rooney is wanted by both Sky Sports and TNT Sports as a lead pundit ahead of next season’s Premier League campaign – but the former Birmingham City manager is still hoping to return to the pitch.

Rooney was sacked by the Blues on New Year’s Day after winning just two of his 15 games in charge after taking over from John Eustace in October with the club then in the play-off places. His disastrous tenure was cut short before he was allowed to sort out the failings of the transfer window, following a comprehensive loss at Leeds United.

Since then, Rooney has remained in the public eye in one way or another; he appeared as a pundit for Sky and TNT as well as the BBC, who wrote him in to appear on Match of the Day before a back injury sustained while on holiday with his family sidelined him. Rooney has also signed up to appear on The Overlap podcast with former teammates Gary Neville and Roy Keane.

READ: Blues could be set for 17 reunions after relegation to League One

READ: Relegation could be the making of seven Blues baby wizards

He has clearly left a lasting impression on the broadcasters, the Premier League’s rights holders, who – along with Amazon Prime – share the rights to televise top-flight football in the UK as, according to The Sun, both major companies they want to recruit him in a bigger way. permanent ahead of the 2024-25 campaign.

Turning to the pundit in a more concrete arrangement than before would involve following his former team-mates, such as Neville, Keane, Paul Scholes, Rio Ferdinand and Owen Hargreaves, among others, in front of the camera to provide match analysis. But Rooney – who will need a club to take a chance after his miserable tenure at the Blues – remains keen to return to management.

Prior to the Blues, Rooney worked as a coach at DC United in the MLS, while also working as a player and then head coach at Derby County in the Championship in 2021-22.

Where are you most looking forward to visiting next term? Tell us here