Wayne Rooney has urged patience from Cristiano Ronaldo as his former teammate continues to struggle for league minutes. The veteran was left on the bench for last weekend’s Manchester derby, and has started just one Premier League game all season.
“The manager’s obviously gone a different way in terms of how they’re playing and been successful,” Rooney said in a press conference at DC United, where he is now manager. “Cristiano… him and (Lionel) Messi are two of the greatest players to ever play the game, but ultimately time catches up with us all.
“He’s obviously not the player he was when he was 22 or 23, for instance. It’s a tough one for him.
“Knowing him, it’ll be very difficult for him to sit on the bench… I’m sure if he stays patient, his chance will come and, again, it’s then obviously him taking those chances and trying to force his way back in.”
Barcelona manager Xavi has admitted he may need to move Frenkie de Jong to centre-back amid fierce competition for a midfield spot at Camp Nou. Franck Kessie has pushed the Dutchman down the pecking order, with the likes of Sergio Busquets, Gavi and Pedri – who missed the end of last season through injury – also in the mix.
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Man Utd made efforts to sign the Dutchman over the summer in a move which could have seen him reunited with former Ajax manager Erik ten Hag. However, despite a fee being agreed, De Jong opted to stay put.
Now, though, he could be forced into a central defensive role amid injury concerns at the Catalan club. With Ronald Araujo and Jules Kounde both sidelined, Xavi is limited in his options and has confirmed De Jong is an option at the back after playing there in pre-season.