Rooney offers to take up role as Guardiola's City assistant

Wayne Rooney says he would walk to Manchester City if Pep Guardiola asked him to become his assistant.

Rooney became Manchester United's record scorer during 13 years at Old Trafford from 2004, scoring 253 goals in 559 appearances for the Red Devils.

The former England captain was linked with a move to City after handing in a transfer request at United in 2010.

Rooney eventually patched up his differences with manager Alex Ferguson and stayed at Old Trafford for another seven years.

But, less than two months after his 15-game spell as Birmingham manager came to an end, the 38-year-old admits he would be open to the idea of working on the blue side of Manchester.

Rooney told the Stick to Football podcast: "It depends [on whether I'd ever be an assistant]. If Pep Guardiola comes in and asks me to be his assistant, you'd walk there.

"You see what [Mikel] Arteta is doing now [at Arsenal] and I strongly believe a lot of that is from learning what Guardiola was doing and so it depends on what the situation is.

"For me, the best manager is Pep and you look at how he adapts — how they [City] are playing now is not the same as how they were playing four years ago.

"He keeps making these subtle changes and then you see everyone else trying to do the same. They also work harder than anyone else."

City, the English, European and Club World Cup champions, are 12 points better off in the Premier League than sixth-placed United and Rooney says it is "frustrating" watching his former team under Erik ten Hag.

He said: "There's talent in there but I just think there's a mindset that needs to change.

"You watch some really good games but then all of a sudden it's like a switch that's been flicked.

"They can go from being really good to really bad. There's a lack of consistency."