Wayne Rooney has admitted he would have loved to play for Barcelona during his Manchester United career and believes he would have fitted into Pep Guardiola’s side.
Rooney was looking back at the Barcelona teams that repeatedly caused United problems in Europe, including the Champions League final defeats. Despite those painful nights, the former striker says he could have seen himself playing for the Catalan club.
“I would have loved to play for Barcelona,” Rooney said on The United Stand.
He had a clear reason for feeling that way.
“They beat us in the final and they didn’t have a reference No. 9,” Rooney explained. “I think it would have been easy to play in that team and I would have fitted perfectly.”
Wayne Rooney admits Barcelona was an option
The chance of Wayne Rooney leaving Manchester United was real during a tough period when the club were going through a change.
Cristiano Ronaldo had already left for Real Madrid for a then world-record fee. Wayne Rooney had questioned where United were heading when key players left, which created uncertainty around his own future as well.
Barcelona were one of the clubs linked with him but a transfer never materialized. A move to Barcelona would have ensured a Ronaldo vs Rooney clash in the famous El Classicos.
“There was a small possibility, but I think financially it was difficult for them,” Rooney revealed.
Barcelona eventually looked elsewhere, with David Villa becoming their solution in attack.
Wayne Rooney, meanwhile, stayed at Old Trafford. And given what happened afterwards, United supporters probably won’t spend too much time wondering what might have been.
The former England international went on to become United’s record goalscorer, scoring 253 times for the club. He also won two more league titles after Ronaldo’s departure.
A very different path for Wayne Rooney
There is still something fascinating about the idea of Rooney playing under Guardiola.
The Barcelona side he was talking about didn’t always use a conventional striker. Rooney had the technical ability to drop into midfield, link play and create chances, as he did at United towards his later stage of the career. He thinks he would have suited that famous Barcelona team under Pep Guardiola.
But the move never happened.
Instead, Rooney stayed at Manchester United and became one of the defining players of the post-Ronaldo era at the club. After years of success, the club lost some big stars during the time. Chelsea went on to win two titles before United made a return to winning ways.
In the end, though, he remained in Manchester and wrote himself into United history.
A move to Barcelona might have been tempting, but Rooney’s career at Old Trafford left him as the club’s leading goalscorer and a legend.
