Wayne Rooney joins Derby County: Is England's all-time top goalscorer a good signing for the Rams?
It's a transfer story that we didn't expect during this summer transfer window as Derby have announced the capture of Wayne Rooney.
England's all-time top goalscorer has been plying his trade in the MLS since July 2018 but will return in January on an 18-month deal as player-coach.
"I am very excited about the opportunity that Derby County have provided me with," Rooney said of his move.
"I am looking forward to joining Phillip Cocu, his coaching staff and the first-team squad from the start of January.
"I am sure I can make a big contribution and can't wait to meet everyone, especially the supporters."
It's a good move from a footballing perspective although a bit of a head-scratcher when it comes to finances, and a move that has divided the opinion of fans.
Is it for the best and will Rooney fire the Rams into the Premier League? Or is this a move destined to fail?
Let's look at some of the pros and cons behind the move.
Financial Fair Play
The magical three words that dominate the Championship, particularly during a transfer window, Financial Fair Play seemingly has a firm grip on England's second tier.
Derby's operating loss, prior to player and stadium sales, was £30.9m for the 2017/18 period. That's significant, made even more so by the fact that they once again failed to make the Premier League.
Some outlets are reporting that Rooney will come in on a wage of £85,000 per week. That's an eye-watering sum of money in this league, even if only 50% counts towards FFP calculations.
Before Rooney, Derby added Krystian Bielik from Arsenal for a £10m fee. Matt Clarke and Kieran Dowell have both been brought in on a temporary basis, with County taking a share of the wages from their respective parent clubs.
Luke Thomas is the only player to depart for a fee from Pride Park this summer. That said, big earners such as Bradley Johnson and David Nugent have all been shifted from the wage bill.
You'd guess on face value that the figures will only increase based on the summer activity. If reports are correct, Derby will be paying £1.7m to Rooney solely for the second half of this season.
Inspiring Derby's youth
If I was a youngster at Derby, I'd be buzzing about the arrival of Rooney.
As a Championship player, you wouldn't be expecting to have the opportunity to line up alongside England's all-time top goalscorer or to learn from him on the training field.
Mason Bennett, a young striker at the age of 23, will be able to pick one of the brightest footballing minds in the country - and the same can be said for 24-year-old Jack Marriott.
That of course doesn't eliminate the remainder of the squad. Derby have some talented young players in their ranks - the likes of Jayden Bogle, Dowell and Bielik have all earned plaudits for their efforts in the EFL.
It could also give Derby that extra edge in the transfer window. Not only do they possess a manager in Cocu who is a winner, but they now have a one of the game's great strikers within their ranks.
Does Cocu want him coaching?
"My coaching staff is complete," confirmed Cocu after Derby's 2-1 victory over Huddersfield on Monday night.
Now, that can be interpreted in two ways. The first is that Cocu felt he had the coaches he required by their first game, the second being that he was speaking in the knowledge that Rooney was arriving.
I'm not convinced that this was a move pushed through by the Derby boss, however welcoming he may be of Rooney's arrival.
The fact that the Rams had Frank Lampard as their head coach last season and signed Ashley Cole in the January transfer window shows the club does have a bit of a fascination with celebrity.
Just how much coaching Rooney will actually be doing as part of this deal remains to be seen. Rooney has already stated that he's a player first and a coach second, probably an entertainer third.
It's good news if you're an England player at the 2006 World Cup and still have intentions of playing though - keep your phone on as Derby are likely to be calling you soon.
Jamie Carragher is a Ram, is a Ram...
He's still got it
He is 33 years of age, but what we've seen of Rooney in the MLS is that he clearly still has it, albeit he is way beyond his peak years now.
The former Manchester United and Everton man has netted 13 goals and contributed a further seven assists in 25 games so far in 2019, an excellent return whichever you look at it.
Since his switch to the MLS, we've seen goals from the halfway line, free-kicks from distance and match-winning performances.
He will be 34 by the time he arrives though, 35 when his 18-month contract expires, and the Championship is an incredibly competitive division, more so than the MLS despite some of the stars it boasts.
Boosting the reputation of the division
Rooney's arrival at Derby can only boost the reputation of the Championship, with the division continuing to have the draw to attract some of world football's biggest names.
Leeds' capture of Marcelo Bielsa as their head coach was remarkable, with areas of South America following his progress on a weekly basis, and Rooney can join the Argentine at the top level of publicity.
Derby shirt sales may not increase dramatically, highlighted by the fact that Carlos Vela and Josef Martinez sold more shirts in the MLS in 2018, but there will certainly be more of an interest in the club's progress.
Like many, I am pretty excited about this signing from a football perspective, but you feel that Derby will have to make the most of his presence this season given his age during the 2020/21 campaign.
Just quite what Rooney will do for the Championship's reputation in the States is unknown. That said though, expect the interest in the division from those obsessed with the very top of the game to increase the longer Rooney is involved.
Makes sense from a footballing perspective
I was sceptical at first but I've started to come around to this signing, although it has to be said that's purely from a footballing perspective.
The reported finances behind this deal are ludicrous, though. That money is too much for this level and it's going to cost Derby fortunes across the length of the contract.
He has next to no coaching experience and I'd want to know just how much coaching he will in fact be doing during his time at the club.
Cocu wouldn't have gone to the board and asked for this, and it'll be interesting to see how imposing Rooney's presence will be.
On the pitch, the Rams need to squeeze everything they can for the second-half of the season, although that's only if they are within touching distance of the play-offs by the time he arrives.
It'll hopefully be an exciting one for Derby fans to see on the pitch, although FFP will always be a concern in this division.
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