Wayne Rooney has urged Manchester United fans to be patient, saying it could take “two or three years” before they return to the top of the game.

Rooney is United’s record scorer with 253 goals. He spent 13 years at Old Trafford, during which he won every domestic honour as well as the Champions League and the Europa League.

Rooney, 34, returned to boyhood club Everton in 2017 before embarking on a spell with Major League Soccer outfit DC United. He returned to England and played his first game for Derby as a player-coach in January.

The former England captain feels United are moving in the right direction under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer but need time before they challenge for major honours.

“It is going to take another two or three years, I believe,” Rooney told the British press.

“The important thing is for them to try and get into the Champions League this year. It is really tight at the minute.

“I think that will help them a lot if they can do that — but it is going to take time.”

Rooney added: “The United fans need to be a bit patient with what’s going on and let these players try and prove themselves.

“They need to bring some players in, they need to also get rid of some players, and within two or three years they have to be challenging again.”

While enjoying his current role as Derby’s playmaker from a deeper midfield position, Rooney has his eye on a long-term future in the dugout.

“I think it’s a shame when you see great players walking away and not really having a go at management or coaching,” he said.

“I’m a player first and foremost and then a coach, to try and learn to help me in the long run.”

Ferguson’s lessons

Rooney learnt a lot about managing a football team from none other than Alex Ferguson.

“His man-management is the best I’ve ever seen. I always remember every half-time arguing with him as a kid. Constantly. I remember thinking: ‘Why’s he always having a go at me? There’s players far worse than what I’ve been.’

But the older you get, you realise why he’s doing it. He would have a go at me for dribbling, which I very rarely… Well, I dribbled a bit more then,” he said.

“But for [players such as] Nani, it would just maybe trigger something in their head, make them think: ‘Maybe I shouldn’t dribble as much.’ If he [Ferguson] spoke to Nani the way he spoke to me, he’d break down in tears. He [Nani] wouldn’t be able to come back out.”