Wayne Rooney set to join MLS in move to D.C. United

British soccer player Wayne Rooney looks set to join MLS side D.C. United from English team Everton, in a deal worth almost $17 million.

It is understood that the striker and former England captain has agreed a deal in principle with D.C. United which would see him play Major League Soccer until the end of 2020. However, nothing has yet been signed and there is still some uncertainty over how Everton boss Sam Allardyce feels about the deal.

Earlier in the week, Allardyce insisted that the player was not looking to move on: "It would have to be massive for him to want leave Everton," he told Talksport. "I've not had a problem from day one with Wayne (but) the Wayne Rooney saga continues on doesn't it?" Officially, he still has another year to go on his contract with the Premiership side.

Although it has not yet been revealed exactly when he will swap the UK for the states, the move will likely be bittersweet for Rooney, who started his career with Everton. When he re-joined the team - who he also supports - in 2017, he said: "It was a no-brainer for me and the only place I was going to go."

That said, it is believed that D.C. United would like the player to have signed on the dotted line ahead of the team's move to their brand new Audi Field stadium, where they are due to play their first match on July 14. The MLA transfer window officially opens on July 10.

Considered one of the UK's most iconic footballers, Rooney currently holds the record for the highest number of goals scored by a single player for the England team and for his former club Manchester United. In his 13 years at Man United, he won five Premier League titles, as well as the Champions League and the FA Cup. True to form, he is also Everton's top scorer, having put away 11 goals this season.

If he does make the swap, he will certainly need those magic feet to do the hard work; D.C. United are currently sitting bottom of the MLS' Eastern Conference, having won just one game of seven this season.

All in all, it seems that it's proving to be an exciting year for the Liverpudlian, whose wife Colleen gave birth to their fourth son Cass in February. The two are also parents to Kai, Klay and Kit.

Rooney is just the latest in a string of English players to continue their careers stateside. His former teammate David Beckham joined MLS side LA Galaxy in 2007, where he stayed until 2012, save for two loan spells at Milan. Another former England international, Steven Gerrard, made the same move in 2015.