The former hardman midfielder and Anfield boss reckons the Manchester United skipper needs to go abroad if he wants to command a regular place again, with China or the USA the most likely destination this summer. And Souness reckons Wayne Rooney’s attempts to reinvent himself as a midfielder have failed miserably. “I’d have thought the natural move for him as a striker would be to a central midfield player,” said the Sky pundit. “I thought that would have been seamless and he would have got that overnight. But he has not grasped that. “An occasional ping of a ball from right to left wing does not make a good central midfielder. There is a lot more to it than that.

GETTY Wayne Rooney has struggled to impress under Jose Mourinho

GETTY Graeme Souness is mystified as to why Rooney's career has dropped

“He is 31 – I had my best football years at 31. I am mystified with it. He’s not understanding that position. “It is not an occasional Hollywood ball, there is far more to it than that. It is about filling areas, it is about standing still rather than moving a lot of the time. “He loves his football, I would imagine he will want to go somewhere where he will play regularly. “This will have been his worst season of professional football, he has just not played enough games.

GETTY Rooney has mainly been used as a substitute this season

“From being the captain and the first name on the teamsheet to this. That will be hurtful to him. I think he will move on, I don’t see him accepting that.” Rooney is set to be on the bench against his former club Everton tonight having plummeted down Jose Mourinho’s pecking order at Old Trafford. And Souness fears Rooney’s powers have faded so much he would struggle to get guaranteed first-team football anywhere else in the Premier League. “With his next move, he is a big enough player to say, ‘I need to be guaranteed I am playing every week’. But no big club will accept that demand,” said Souness.

Where could Wayne Rooney go next? Thu, May 25, 2017 Wayne Rooney is expected to leave Manchester United this summer but where could he go next? Play slideshow Getty Images 1 of 14 Where could Wayne Rooney go next? Odds provided by BetVictor