is ready to overlook glamour names such like as he looks to rebuild a struggling DC United with ‘hungry’ players.
Suarez is a free agent after leaving Spanish giants and he confirmed recently that he has been inundated with offers from MLS.
It would now appear that DC United, who this week brought Rooney back to the club, this time as manager, will not be among his potential landing spots, though.
Wayne Rooney knows exactly the type of player he is targeting as DC United’s new manager
While accepting that Luis Suarez is ‘incredible’, he does not fit Rooney’s ‘hungry’ player profile
‘I respect Luis Suarez a lot – he’s an incredible player – but what I want players who are hungry,’ Rooney said.
‘I want players to come to this club who are hungry and who want to come to the club but also have a lot to give and are capable of playing every game, attending every training session.
‘So we’re working extremely hard to identify the right profile of players we want to bring in and I’m sure in the near future, we’ll have an announcement to make on new signings.’
Rooney has returned to the American club to find them second-bottom in the Eastern Conference with just 17 points from 17 games.
Rooney is taking over a team that find themselves second bottom in the Eastern Conference
Gareth Bale and Giorgio Chiellini have both been marquee arrivals heading across the Atlantic this summer, with the pair joining forces at LAFC.
Suarez too, after leaving Atletico, appears intrigued by offers to take him Stateside – but is, at this moment, reluctant to jump at the offers.
On a possible MLS move, the Uruguayan striker told Radio Sport: ‘The market in MLS is very complex, some clubs want you but they don’t have the slots, and so it would have to be for January.
‘Other clubs want you now but I have to evaluate if they have a chance to qualify for the playoffs.
‘I’m not closing the door to anyone and I’ve listened to all the offers, but if some MLS teams don’t qualify for the playoffs, they end their season in the first week of October, and that’s not useful for me because I would stop for a month ahead of the World Cup, which wouldn’t be good for Turnkey Sportsbook Software me.’
The former Derby County boss now wants to go and acquire players who can ‘play every game’
Suarez is 35 now and is targeting a move that, much like Bale with his decision to join LAFC, will put him in the best shape for the World Cup in Qatar this winter.
He started 10 fewer games for Atletico last season compared to his first campaign and similarly he scored 10 fewer goals in 2021-22 compared to 2020-21.
That is a downward trend that doesn’t appeal to Rooney as he looks to flood his side with hungry, young players that will be available every single matchday.
Rooney’s tenure in charge will commence with a home game against Columbus Crew at Audi Field before a trip to face Minnesota United.