Former Manchester United captain Wayne Rooney has parted ways with Major League Soccer (MLS) side of DC United following the team’s failure to qualify for the MLS Cup playoffs.

Rooney, who is Manchester United’s all-time leading goal scorer, took on the coaching position with the Washington-based club in July 2022.

His association with DC United began in 2018 when he joined as a player, and he later transitioned into a player-coach role with Derby County in January 2020.

However, DC United had a challenging season under Rooney’s guidance, and he departs as the regular season comes to a close.

Rooney commented on his departure, saying, “It’s the right time. I’ve done everything I can to secure a playoff spot for this club. It’s not just one thing that has led to this decision; it’s about the timing.”

DC United, despite winning their final regular-season match 2-0 against New York City FC, missed out on the playoffs for the fourth consecutive year. They currently sit in ninth place in the Eastern Conference standings and face the possibility of missing out on a playoff spot depending on results elsewhere.

DC United’s chief executive and co-chairman, Jason Levien, expressed gratitude to Wayne Rooney for his contributions to the club and soccer in the nation’s capital.

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He stated, “We have had discussions with Wayne and agreed that parting ways at this juncture is in the best interest of both parties.”

Rooney had recently voiced his frustration regarding a lack of communication regarding his contract status.

In an interview with the Washington Post in last month, he expressed disappointment, saying, “I am slightly disappointed and frustrated that there has been no contact for two months. We inquired about a new deal. I was hoping we would have, at the very least, had a conversation about it, but that hasn’t happened.”