[UPDATED]
Wayne Rooney, the English soccer superstar being courted by D.C. United, has arrived in Washington ahead of meetings with the MLS club and a physical Thursday.
The sides are seeking to finalize a multiyear pact, but United will also have to reach agreement with Premier League side Everton on a transfer. But his visit to the city is a strong indication that things are moving along and an accord is near.
Rooney flew from Miami to Reagan National Airport on Wednesday afternoon after cutting short a family vacation in Barbados.
“It’s the next step in the process,” said one person, who, like the others, requested anonymity because they had not been granted permission to speak publicly about the talks. “By no means is it a done deal, but it’s a step in the right direction.”
In addition to the physical, Rooney is scheduled to tour the city, meet with managing general partner Jason Levien and General Manager Dave Kasper, and visit United’s new stadium, Audi Field, which is nearing completion in Southwest Washington, multiple sources said.
Though his complete travel itinerary wasn’t fully clear, a departure from Dulles International Airport in Northern Virginia would provide opportunity to visit the site of United’s proposed training center at Bolen Park in Leesburg, in part to give him ideas about where he and his family might want to live. They have done some preliminary house-hunting in Northern Virginia, one source said.
With the team on the West Coast ahead of Saturday’s match against Los Angeles FC, Rooney is likely to speak with Coach Ben Olsen on the phone. The entire visit is not expected to last more than 48 hours.
“Wayne is genuinely interested in the city,” one source said, “and wants to get a better feel for it.”
Rooney, 32, has been on break since Everton’s season ended May 13. However, with talks heating up for a move stateside, the sides agreed to continue negotiating in Washington.
If all sides come to agreement, Rooney could begin training with United right away but wouldn’t become eligible to play until the MLS transfer and trade window opens July 10, four days before the Audi Field debut. That would leave him available for 20 league matches, including 15 at home.
United officials have said they will not comment on the state of negotiations with any player, though Olsen on multiple occasions has acknowledged Rooney by name and the ongoing interest in both parties.
If he signs, Rooney would become the most expensive and famous player in United’s 22-year history. The club is prepared to pay him at least $5 million annually, guaranteed through the 2020 season. The team record is held by Argentina’s Marcelo Gallardo, who earned about $1.9 million in 2008.
Because Rooney has a year left on his contract with Everton, United would also have to pay a transfer fee, totaling perhaps several million dollars. Levien is apparently on good terms with Everton ownership and, one source said, has been in regular contact with the Liverpool-based club. Levien owns a stake in Swansea City, which was relegated to the second-division English Championship last week after finishing 18th in the 20-team Premier League.
Rooney is the greatest scorer in the history of Manchester United and the English national team; he is also second on the Premier League’s career list. This past season, in his return to Everton, his boyhood club, he posted a team-high 10 league goals but failed to score in the final five months.
Deeper positioning on the field played a part in the scoring dearth, but questions have also surfaced about his capacity to produce goals and impact a match, even at a less-competitive level in MLS. D.C. United believes he has plenty left to offer both as a player — he would feature as a forward again — and marketing titan as the club prepares to move into the 20,000-capacity stadium in July.