Wayne Rooney says Man United need to move on from Paul Pogba and Cristiano Ronaldo
- Joe Hewlett
- 5 April 2022
Rooney also claims the next appointment is vital for Manchester United and thinks Mauricio Pochettino would be the perfect fit.
Manchester United legend Wayne Rooney believes his former club need to focus on 'younger, hungry players' if they want to return to their old glory days.
United will end the season without silverware following their Champions League elimination to Atletico Madrid and it now stretches them to five without a trophy.
Cristiano Ronaldo, 37, returned to Old Trafford in the summer and has scored 18 goals in all competitions but according to Rooney, the move has not gone according to plan.
"You'd have to say no at the minute,"
Rooney told Sky Sports. "He's scored goals, important goals in the Champions League early on in the season. He scored obviously the hat-trick against Tottenham.
"But I think if you're looking to the future of the club, you have to go with younger, hungry players to lift Manchester United over these next two or three years.
"Obviously, Cristiano is getting on a bit. He certainly isn't the player he was in his 20s and that happens - that's football. He's a goal threat but the rest of the game they need more and they need young, hungry players."
Wayne Rooney says Manchester United need more than they're getting from Cristiano Ronaldo 😳 pic.twitter.com/N3MnEc0Ugu
— GOAL (@goal) April 4, 2022
Another player in their second spell at Man Utd is France international Paul Pogba although his contract is set to expire in the summer.
Pogba rejoined United in 2016 for £89.3million and while he has displayed moments of brilliance, the ex-Juventus star has been far too inconsistent.
Rooney - who spent a season with Pogba - has said now is the time for him to move on and find a new team.
"It's probably got to a point now where it probably is better to move on," Rooney said. "And I think if Paul is honest with himself he probably hasn't had the impact he would have liked since he returned to Manchester United.
"I watch him play for France and it's a completely different player.
"It just hasn't quite worked for Manchester United for him and I think there's a few players they need to let go."
Rooney has previously admitted he has ambitions to one day become Manchester United manager.
While that is some way off, it has not stopped the Derby County head coach from commenting on who he believes should replace Ralf Rangnick for next season.
"I think Pochettino has done it in the Premier League, he knows the Premier League," Rooney said. "At Tottenham, he brought a lot of young players through, at Southampton as well.
"So if I'm choosing from one of them two [Pochettino or Erik Ten Hag] that's who I'd choose, I'd go with Pochettino. And give him time. Managers now need time to come in, put their blueprint on the club and the team. If you give him time I think he'll do well."
