Wayne Rooney Has Reportedly Told Everton He Wants to Join MLS' DC United

Wayne Rooney has told Everton that he wants a transfer to D.C. United in MLS, according to Matt Lawton of the Daily Mail.

Lawton reported: "The former England captain is on the verge of joining the MLS club after his representatives travelled to Washington, D.C., for talks. Rooney's agent, Paul Stretford, was in the U.S. capital to discuss a contract that will run until the end of the 2020 MLS season."

The deal would reportedly be for a £12.5 million fee.

Steven Goff of the Washington Post reported that "inside the old walls of team headquarters at RFK Stadium, there is cautious optimism—'We're holding our breath,' one person said—that United will land the greatest scorer in the history of Manchester United and the English national team, who also stands second in Premier League annals."

Rooney, 32, has scored 10 goals and put up two assists in 31 Premier League appearances (27 starts) for Everton this season. His performances have earned him an average grade of 6.64 from WhoScored.com, ranking him 15th on the Toffees. 

The impact he could have on D.C. United and MLS, however, is far greater. Much like Zlatan Ibrahimovic with L.A. Galaxy, Rooney would add a big-name, marketable star to the league, albeit one perhaps past his prime.

Rooney's move isn't guaranteed. As Goff noted, Rooney is set to make around $10 million this season, meaning United would have to open up the purse strings to satisfy him. But per Goff, United have reportedly been monitoring players like Javier Hernandez, Carlos Tevez, Mario Balotelli and Andres Iniesta and reached out to Rooney last summer, so the club appears ready to make a splash.