Wayne Rooney Drops Bombshell About His Record-Breaking Man Utd Payday

Wayne Rooney has disclosed the earnings from his most lucrative playing contract during his distinguished Manchester United career, which was ten times greater than what one of his highly respected former teammates received.

Rooney emerged as a talent at Everton when he was just 16 and had become a global football sensation by age 18 after his impressive performances for England at Euro 2004 and his record-breaking £27 million ($35.3 million) move to Old Trafford as the world's most expensive teenage player.

As the Premier League's global popularity soared and unprecedented wealth poured into English football, Rooney found himself in a position to eventually negotiate significantly higher wages than his senior teammates had earned during their peak years.

This explains why his disclosure that his highest-paying contract was worth £17 million annually left Gary Neville and Roy Keane visibly shocked during the recent Stick to Football podcast episode on The Overlap network.

The discussion arose after Neville had promised to share a collection of old Manchester United and sponsorship contracts from his playing days between 1992 and 2011.

During his prime in 2001, Neville secured a contract valued at £1.5 million per year, equivalent to just under £30,000 weekly. Keane's groundbreaking deal as Britain's highest-paid footballer at the end of 1999 was worth £50,000. The former captain's most valuable contract several years later roughly doubled that figure, reaching an annual salary of approximately £5 million.

Also present at the discussion, Jamie Carragher mentioned earning £3 million on his most rewarding Liverpool deal, while Ian Wright's peak contract was worth £1.25 million yearly during his short tenure at West Ham United—Arsenal actually paid him less despite his legendary status there. However, this reflected a different time period, and Wright also expressed regret about his representative's negotiating abilities.

Rooney's £17 million agreement, equivalent to roughly £325,000 weekly, is not thought to be the contract he signed after questioning Manchester United's ambitions in 2010 and requesting a transfer. Instead, it was the five-year deal he agreed to in February 2014 at age 28, arguably when his career was already declining.

"Things were evolving at that point," he commented in response to the astonished expressions from those who had all retired before 2014 and reached their career peaks a decade or more earlier.

Gary Neville: 'Money Was Never a Focus'

While Carragher was amazed by Neville's comparatively modest compensation given his standing in English football and his Manchester United accomplishments, Neville explained his satisfaction with his contracts and wages, prioritizing stability and commitment.

"Financial considerations were never my primary concern. I never once stressed about the monetary aspect," he emphasized. "[I believed] if I could reach the end of my playing days, at 35 or 36, still at Manchester United, then I knew I'd be secure. I wouldn't maximize my earnings by signing these extended contracts, [but] remaining a one-club player at United was the correct choice.

"When they presented me with a seven-year deal for less money, it suited me better than pursuing three or four years at higher wages. I always approached things more conservatively, considering potential injuries."

Soon after signing his most profitable contract around 2007, worth £1.75 million annually plus a £500,000 signing bonus, Neville suffered an injury that essentially ended his career.

"I had agreed to £1.75 million, with an additional signing fee included. Then I got hurt in 2008, was sidelined for a year, and my contract still had four years remaining," he recalled.

"I remained at Manchester United until age 34 because of that long-term agreement. I had to finish my career at Manchester United [because] I couldn't imagine wearing another team's colors. I realized when I was 24 and signed a seven-year contract with a mid-term renegotiation option, they couldn't remove me from this club until I turned 31 … and I wasn't departing. I was committed and had stability."

Rooney 'Right to Push' Man Utd Over Contract

A relatively recent development during Neville's playing era was the 1995 Bosman ruling, which permits players to depart clubs when their contracts expire. Keane openly leveraged this for his two most favorable Manchester United deals, essentially threatening to leave and join another team as a free agent—a standard practice today.

"I respected Roy during that period, and nobody in the locker room considered Roy's contract negotiations inappropriate," Neville stated.

Keane himself clarified: "You kept accepting long-term deals, so you never gained strong negotiating leverage. My contract was expiring on a few occasions, which gave me better bargaining power. It's not about greed, it's about recognizing your value. As a coach, I used to respect players who would advocate for themselves."

Neville also acknowledged that he supported Rooney's substantial salary compared to his own, and the fact that his agents entered negotiations determined to secure the best possible terms.

Rooney was "justified in pressuring the club" for an optimal contract.

"You were the world's finest player, so you deserved the world's highest compensation, I completely support that. I also used to believe, as a defender, that the players in midfield and attack were securing our victories each week and should earn significantly more than me."