OFFICIAL: Wayne Rooney confirms WrestleMania cameo and WWE summer move

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The Man Utd striker will cut short his contract at the Premier League club to pursue a “dream” move into the world of wrestling

Wayne Rooney has confirmed he will leave Manchester United this summer to begin a career in WWE – with his debut appearance to come at WrestleMania on Sunday

The England international has been linked with an Old Trafford exit for months, although it was expected he’d sign a lucrative deal in the United States or China.

But, six weeks after ruling out a £52 million move to the Chinese Super League, Rooney has ended any lingering suspicions of an MLS switch with a shock decision to join the world of wrestling.

“It’s always been a dream of mine to be a wrestler ever since I was a kid,” the 31-year-old told WWE’s official website. “I idolised The Rock and Stone Cold Steve Austin, not Alan Shearer or David Seaman.

“The gaffer [Jose Mourinho] had talked about me following Bastian [Schweinsteiger] to MLS, but it’s not very good, is it? It wouldn’t be hard to score loads.

“I wanted a challenge instead and I think the WWE will be that. All the lads in the dressing room have been great about it.

“Zlatan [Ibrahimovic] has been telling me how he used to suplex Lionel Messi and [Paul] Pogba’s created a special version of The Dab as a finishing move for me, it’s brilliant.”

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