Manchester United captain Wayne Rooney has confirmed that he will play directly behind a striker this season after being told by Jose Mourinho that he will be played in the No. 10 role.
Rooney will play in the number 10 role next season
Rooney has played in multiple different roles for United over the past year including playing in a deeper role under Louis van Gaal, but Mourinho wants the striker to be further up the pitch to have a bigger effect on the game.
Rooney, therefore, says that he is relishing the prospect of another change in position as he feels he can still contribute a huge amount to the team.
The striker says that playing in the number 10 role is "almost like a free role and I'm excited to play it" as it gives him the chance to be involved at the business end of the pitch. Rooney says that Mourinho said to him "about playing No.10" and therefore Rooney says that is "something I've got to work on."
Rooney continued to say that "I have scored goals all through my career" whilst he has no doubt about "my goalscoring ability."
The striker says that he likes to be "involved in the game" and now that he is playing under Mourinho he has "no fears about coming deep if he has to" as Mourinho wants him to dictate the game.
Rooney confident he still has a lot to give
Under Mourinho, Rooney says that it is a "different way of playing" from all the other managers and he is confident that if he can bring his "qualities to the team" then is is sure that he can "create chances and score goals," which is what Rooney is best at doing.
Rooney goes into the new season a few goals away from being United's all-time goalscorer, something that he really wants to achieve as soon as he can. The striker is also set for his testimonial game against Everton on August 3 which just shows how good a player Rooney has been for the team over such a long period of time.