Rooney accused of ‘selling his soul’ after agreeing to wear No 32 shirt for Derby in deal with bookies 32Red

WAYNE ROONEY’S £90,000-a-week wages will be funded by a new deal with Derby’s main sponsor 32Red – leading to claims the former England captain has “sold his soul”.

It has also caused critics to question whether the club are breaking the spirit of tough Financial Fair Play rules.

PA:Press Association

Reuters

Wayne Rooney will wear the No32 shirt at Derby when he joins in January[/caption]

Rooney will earn close to £8million at Pride Park after agreeing an 18-month contract with an option to extend it by a further year.

He will wear No 32 on his shirt next season in a slick marketing ploy to promote the gambling firm’s brand.

Derby owner Mel Morris admitted: “Obviously, the commercial opportunities this creates are widespread and significant.

“On the back of Wayne joining the club, we have just been offered a record-breaking sponsorship deal with 32Red.

“We are keen to leverage Wayne’s involvement and the support of 32Red with our community initiatives, expanding the work such as the Team Talk mental health programme which is supported by our Community Trust and 32Red.”

But Rooney said: “The number I wear is not a big deal.”

The numbers 7, 12, 13, 15 and 18 — the number he wore at Everton — were all available to Rooney.

He will be on more than four times the average Championship players’ weekly wage, which stands at £20,000.

Labour MP Carolyn Harris, who chairs the all-parliamentary group for gambling, criticised the move.

She said: “When will celebrities realise that involvement in gambling is not right or moral?

“Many people look to Wayne Rooney as a role model and yet he is prepared to sell his soul.”

But 32Red general manager Neil Banbury said: “This record-breaking sponsorship agreement is a significant step for us as we continue to reinvent the model of sponsorship to benefit both club and community.

“Earlier this year, we invested in ‘Team Talk’, a project with Derby County Community Trust that is tackling the issue of men’s mental health right across Derby.

“Our partnership with Derby County Community Trust, and the extended relationship with Derby County Football Club, shows a new model for football club sponsorship is possible.”