Rooney Opens Up On Form Slump, Compares Himself To Mohamed Salah And Virgil Van Dijk

Rooney spent 13 years at Old Trafford after joining from Everton in 2004 for £27 million. During his time there, he made 559 appearances, scored 253 goals, and won multiple trophies including five Premier League titles, the Champions League, Europa League, and FA Cup. He eventually left in 2017 at the age of 31 after falling down the team hierarchy.

Speaking on The Wayne Rooney Show, as reported by BBC Sport, Rooney explained that players must recognise when their performance level begins to decline. He recalled that he made a similar decision at Manchester United when Zlatan Ibrahimović arrived and limited his playing time, prompting him to move on.

Rooney also drew comparisons with Mohamed Salah, who has experienced a dip in form at Liverpool FC after several successful seasons. Salah has won major honours including the Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup, and Club World Cup, but has struggled by his own standards this season.

He suggested that age naturally affects performance, noting that both Salah and defender Virgil van Dijk have not been at their usual level recently.

Rooney added that when senior players drop in form, it can affect the entire dressing room, making it harder for younger players to step up and take leadership roles.

While he stopped short of saying Van Dijk should leave Liverpool, he warned that some players remain at clubs beyond their peak years.

He also reflected on Liverpool’s successful period under former manager Jürgen Klopp, who guided the club to major trophies before stepping down in 2024. Rooney praised Klopp’s personality and leadership style, saying he admired him despite his ties to Liverpool.

He contrasted Klopp with current manager Arne Slot, suggesting that Klopp had a stronger presence and emotional connection with fans.