Wayne Rooney: Why the Man United Man Would Find a Role at Real Madrid

Unless you are a big fan of Tahiti’s national football team, the most unlikely participant in the summer’s Confederations Cup, the summer is going to be a boring one. After all, there is no World Cup, no European Championships, no Copa America or even the Olympics to pass the time. Nothing. Nada. Zilch. Nichts. Rien. Except pie-in-the-sky transfer speculation of course, which is an international sport in itself. 

One of the most fun dream sequences is to imagine new Manchester United manager David Moyes screaming at Wayne Rooney to “get yee out of my noooo huussss” (Scottish for "please leave Old Trafford, sir") and for the forward to follow the path taken by Cristiano Ronaldo and head to Real Madrid. 

Of course, there is great sport to be had with whipping out a tactics board and shuffling around the potential Real Madrid pieces to make way for Rooney. However, the special, big-fun entertainment is wondering how the 27-year-old will adapt to a brand new football culture and Spain’s bottomless obsession with ham and beer.

The latter looks a better bet for success. 

Real Madrid’s striking sofa is looking a little full at the end of the current campaign, so one or two players will have to be shoved off for the Englishman to truly enjoy his time at the Santiago Bernabeu.

There are three centre-forwards in the shape of Karim Benzema, Gonzalo Higuain and Alvaro Morata. Cristiano Ronaldo and Angel di Maria are the wide players in the 4-2-1-3 formation preferred by the outgoing Jose Mourinho, whilst there is quite a gaggle of footballers who can play behind the lone poacher. Mesut Ozil is currently the No. 1 choice, but Kaka and Luka Modric are also knocking about. 

The big advantage that the Manchester United man has is great versatility, with Rooney able to play in all four forward positions and even a little deeper if necessary. What is key, though, is that some space is made to ensure that the former Evertonian would be able to participate fully in a Real Madrid campaign, rather than suffer a gloomy few years watching most of the action from the bench. 

Gonzalo Higuain looks likely to be making a move to Juventus, according to Marca, whilst the 20-year-old Morata might realise that a boost to his development would be spending a season or two away from Real Madrid to get more minutes.

That would leave a straight fight between Benzema and Rooney for the No. 9 position. However, Angel di Maria and Mesut Ozil are gifted, world-class players on their day, but both lack consistency week-in, week-out. The English import would find plenty of opportunity by snuffling up their roles too. 

Of course, there is the small matter of Cristiano Ronaldo, nominally a left-sided forward player but a footballer who pops up all over the pitch.

The nightmare scenario for any Real Madrid manager and fan is what would happen to the team if something were to happen to the Portuguese goal poacher. The addition of Wayne Rooney to the squad would help ease the pain of such an eventuality. It was only two seasons ago that the frowning forward scored 27 league goals for the Premier League club. 

An already impressive forward roster at the Santiago Bernabeu would see Rooney having to compete for a place like any other squad player. Nevertheless, immense goalscoring talent, undeniable skill, stamina, drive and great versatility suggests that finding a rightful role at Real Madrid would not be too much of a problem for the Englishman.