Record England goalscorer Wayne Rooney has spoken in detail about how he fell into a gambling addiction during his early days at Manchester United, despite agreeing to join Derby County in a deal that is being sponsored by a bookmaker.

Axar.az reports citing Independent that the 34-year-old made his debut for the Championship club this week, having been named captain by manager Phillip Cocu, but his move to Pride Park has been somewhat overshadowed by the betting firm 32Red’s sponsorship of the deal, which sees Rooney wear the same number on his back as part of their promotion agreement.

Although the move has been ratified by the Football Association, and Derby have confirmed that the club is paying his wages and not 32Red, Rooney’s relationship with the betting firm has come under further scrutiny given how he suffered from gambling problems early in his career.