Manager

Rooney hangs up his boots to focus on management

The struggling Championship club said in a statement that the 35-year-old had signed a two-and-a-half-year contract.

Rooney, who scored an all-time record 53 goals for England and is also Manchester United's record scorer, joined Derby in a player-coach capacity a year ago from MLS side DC United and made 35 appearances for the club.

He had been interim manager at Derby since the club parted company with Dutchman Phillip Cocu in November.

Manchester United set to appoint former player as manager

There has been no official announcement that the Norwegian is taking over from Jose Mourinho, who was sacked earlier on Tuesday.

But a page on the club's website referred to their ex-striker as "our interim manager". It was later deleted.

Solskjaer, 45, scored 126 goals for United in 11 seasons with the club under Sir Alex Ferguson.

He is in charge at Norwegian side Molde but their 2018 season has finished for the winter and does not re-start until March.