New D.C. United player Wayne Rooney. (Photo by socialBedia)

New D.C. United player Wayne Rooney. (Photo by socialBedia)

After months of speculation and weeks of negotiation, Wayne Rooney has finally inked a deal with D.C. United. The club announced his signing, which runs through the end of the 2020 season, in a press release Thursday morning.

“It is fantastic to be joining D.C. United at such an exciting time in the club’s history with the new stadium opening in just a few weeks,” Rooney said in the release. “Moving to America and MLS fulfills another career ambition for me. I have the hunger to be a success here and will give D.C. 100 percent—as I have always done for every team I have ever played for. When I visited earlier this summer I was really impressed with everyone I met connected with the club, and of course the new Audi Field. Now I can’t wait to get on the pitch in a United shirt and join my new teammates to bring success to this club.”

Rooney—the English national team’s all-time leading goal scorer and a Manchester United legend—will arrive at Dulles at 2 p.m. Thursday and seems certain to make his debut against the Vancouver Whitecaps on July 14th, the very same day United christens its brand-new, 20,000 seat home on Buzzard Point in SW D.C.

Rooney is far-and-away the most expensive and well-known signing in United’s history, coming at a widely-rumored price of some $5 million a year, his two-and-a-half year deal worth a reported $13 million. He arrives from English Premier League side Everton FC.

“This is a seminal moment for our fans and organization,” said United Managing General Partner and CEO Jason Levien. “Wayne is a global soccer icon and his presence at D.C. United will elevate our product on the pitch and soccer as a whole in our city and in this country. Wayne has thrived when competing at the most elite levels of soccer and we’re thrilled to have his leadership as we enter this new era at Audi Field.”

The move is undoubtedly a major coup for a club badly in need of one. While other clubs in MLS have added marquee names in recent years—David Villa, Thierry Henry, Andrea Pirlo and Carlos Vela all come to mind—United has chosen a more financially conservative mode, looking to limit their losses while playing at RFK Stadium. That’s meant rosters built around wily veterans and inexpensive youngsters, often at the expense of playing attractive soccer.

To the relief of many of the club’s fans, those days appear a step closer to ending. The club seems primed to seize on the added revenue streams that come with their new facility, and Rooney will join a pair of other recent high-priced signings: Argentine playmaker Luciano Acosta and US national team winger Paul Arriola.

It remains to be seen whether Rooney is a good fit on the field. Many express concerns about the 32 year old’s fitness and ability to perform in the oppressive heat and humidity of a D.C. summer.

But his influence off of the pitch is beyond a doubt. Rooney is a global megastar, only exceeded in name recognition by the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. Some could make an argument that, aside from LA Galaxy getting David Beckham and Zlatan Ibrahimovic on board, Rooney is the biggest name any MLS club has ever signed.

He has 17 million Twitter followers, for Christ’s sake. That’s more than every other DC-area professional athlete—and professional team—combined, according to the Post.

United had long-hinted at a potential major signing this year and had previously reached out to other global stars,among them Mexican international Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez and Italian forward Mario Balotelli. It’s not their first pass at Rooney, either; the club tried to nab him last summer. The Liverpool native eventually decided to join Everton, his hometown club.

United also remain in the market for additional pieces. Recently they’ve been linked to Argentine midfielder Gabriel Gomez, the son of former United standout Christian Gomez. The club has long said they’d like to find a young, Latin American midfielder to bolster their attacking corps.

They could use a little help. Despite all the buzz surrounding the club at the moment, they’re still in last place.

“I think it’s the right time to get a very good player first and foremost, and that’s been our focus to get more quality on our team,” United head coach Ben Olsen told media in attendance at D.C.’s training session on Tuesday.

“If that’s a big name, great, if that’s gonna be an outside back that can help lock a side down and give us more service or possession, we’re going for it,” Olsen said. “We have to get better right now. I think we’re a good team, I think we’re an exciting team, I think we got a lot. We’re dynamic, we can score goals, we’re having a little bit of trouble winning games, those experienced moments that really get you all the points, but I like this team. I like watching this team and I like we’re and exciting group, we’re young, they’re fearless and I think with an addition or two, we can make a real run at the playoffs.”

Early on Thursday morning, Rooney tweeted a photo of himself on a plane with an emoji of an American flag.

D.C. United has a special hashtag to commemorate the occasion: #NoWayneNoGain

Filed Under: Audi Field, ben olsen, DC United, DCU, soccer, Wayne Rooney,