Wayne Rooney’s legacy at Manchester United is well-established, both among fans and within the club itself. His impact still resonates with current players, and Amad is the latest to voice his admiration.
Rooney remains a favourite for many supporters, especially those who watched him become the club’s all-time leading scorer.
Players across different generations have looked up to him.
Matheus Cunha has spoken about modelling parts of his game on Rooney. Kobbie Mainoo has also spoken publicly about how much he looked up to Rooney while growing up.
Amad has also joined that list now, speaking openly about what made him stand out.
Amad names Rooney as his favourite United player
Amad is quickly becoming a favourite among the Old Trafford crowd, and when asked which Manchester United legend he’d have loved to play alongside, he didn’t hesitate with his answer.
Speaking on Inside Carrington, Amad was asked about the players who influenced him growing up. He had two names in mind.
“In my life, my idol was Messi. I always say Messi. Messi is the player I try to learn from,” he said first.
The Ivory Coast international then added Rooney’s name without hesitation.
“At United, the player I really liked was Rooney. When they ask me which player would you love to play with from United history, I say Rooney because he is the player I really, really love.”
This might surprise some people given that Amad played in a squad with Cristiano Ronaldo. But instead of picking one of football’s biggest icons, he went for someone he genuinely looked up to.
Wayne Rooney once tried to bring Amad to Derby County
Amad’s admiration for Rooney runs deep, and there was even a chance he could have played under him at one point.
Speaking with MUTV last year, Rooney explained that he wanted Amad at Derby.
“I think he’s been great,” said Rooney. “I tried to sign him for Derby, when I was at Derby, on loan. I thought I had him, really. I think it was the next day, he went to Rangers out of the blue.”
Reflecting on the challenges of that campaign, he added: “It’s been a difficult season, there’s no denying that, all season.”
He went on: “But the new manager has come in and I really like him. The way he handles himself and speaks with the media has been really good. It’s probably more about getting through this season now and hopefully starting to implement his style more and getting players in to move the club forward.”
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