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MLS star Wayne Rooney will depart D.C. United at the end of this season and return to England for a player-coach role at second-tier side Derby County.

The 33-year-old forward made the surprise decision “to be closer to family,” D.C. United said Tuesday in a statement.

“I remain fully focused on giving my all for the team for the rest of this season and repaying the support shown by the Black-and-Red faithful by hopefully delivering an MLS Cup to Audi Field,” Rooney said.

Rooney has 11 goals and seven assists in 23 games this season, and has tallied 23 goals and 14 assists in 43 matches since joining D.C. United in 2018.

“While the decision to move home was a tough one, family is everything to us and we make this change to be closer to the ones we love back in England,” Rooney said. “The opportunity to go back home and start the next step of my career in coaching was the factor that made my mind up.”

England’s all-time leading goal scorer signed an 18-month contract with the Rams, who recently hired Dutch manager Phillip Cocu to replace Frank Lampard. Rooney will join the English Championship club on Jan. 1.

“I am very excited about the opportunity that Derby County have provided me with,” Rooney said. “I am sure I can make a big contribution and I can’t to wait to meet everyone.”

D.C. United (9-7-9, 36 points) sit in fourth place in the MLS Eastern Conference, but have won just one of their last seven matches heading into Sunday’s visit from Zlatan Ibrahimovic and the LA Galaxy.

–Field Level Media