In what was a surprise move back in 2019, Derby County announced the signing of former England striker Wayne Rooney on an 18-month deal. Rooney had been playing in the MLS but wanted to come home and signed the deal to move to Derby so he could play in the Championship.

There is far more to this deal than meets the eye, and alongside that there is also the impact it will have both on Derby and their promotion hopes, and on Rooney and his ability to play at a high level. He had many great moments with England in years gone by, and now the 34 year old finds himself with Derby.

The Deal

Rooney signed to play for Derby on an 18-month contract, which covers the remainder of this season and the full 2020/21 season. He will wear the number 32 at the club, not a number we associate with him. However, this is a direct advertisement for sponsors 32Red, who are behind the deal to bring him to the club.

This has raised a few eyebrows around the country as it is the first deal of its kind that we know about publicly. It is expected that the move will bring interest and potential new customers to the 32Red brand, to both their casino and sports betting services. It would be no surprise to see a rise in their new football customers and according to newbettingoffers.co.uk those customers can take advantage of a profit boost offer when they sign up.

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What Happened to Derby in the First Half of the Season Before Rooney?

When Wayne Rooney signed a deal to play for Derby, he would have expected to join them while they were pushing for promotion, but that has not been the case. They have really struggled so far this season, just months after losing out on Premier League promotion in the playoff final against Aston Villa.

Key players plus manager Frank Lampard left the club over the summer, and those brought in as replacements have so far not been up to the task in hand. When Rooney was able to play his first game for the club on January 2, he did so with them firmly in the bottom half of the table, and not too far above the relegation zone.

What Can Derby Achieve Now Rooney is in the Team?

Derby got off to a winning start with Rooney when they won 2-1 at home to Barnsley in his debut game. Rooney played in midfield, an area of the pitch he has become more accustomed to over the last few years, after being an out and out striker for the main part of his career.

The move back gives Derby someone in the middle of midfield who has the ability to pick out players with a perfect pass and create things to get the team going. It should also allow Rooney the chance to float around and find space, rather than being man marked in attack by one of the opposing defenders.

Derby will be hoping that Rooney can lift them up into the top half of the table as a bare minimum this season. The aim at the start of the season would have been to make the playoffs once again, and that isn’t out of the question just yet, especially if those around Rooney respond well to playing with him. The gut feeling is that even with Rooney in the team, they don’t have the same level of quality that other teams chasing the playoffs do, but if they can get on a run and have some confidence behind them then who knows what will happen. Those who back Derby for success using the best betting offers will certainly be hoping this is the case.

Has Wayne Rooney Jumped From the Top Flight Too Early?

The move to the Championship for Rooney did look a little odd at the time, and there would surely have been teams in the Premier League who were prepared to give him an opportunity. Players such as Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Cristiano Ronaldo, who were stars at the same time as Rooney, still find themselves playing in Serie A, the top flight in Italy, while Rooney is in the English second tier.

This is probably all about being an important member of the team. He doesn’t want to be a player who makes substitute appearances, or one that misses games from time to time, he wants to be the main part of the team he is with. By dropping down a tier he gets to still do that, and should be a vital part of any success that Derby manage to have this season and next.