Shay Given has outlined Wayne Rooney's impact at Derby County so far, and explained how the ex-Manchester United man is eager to drive the Rams towards the Premier League.

The arrival of England's all-time top-scorer marked the start of a new era at Derby County. He swapped the MLS for the Championship in January and has since proven a hit with both Derby and neutral fans, reminding us of the player he still is.

Phillips Cocu's side were languishing in the mid-table region for much of the season, looking as though they could've slipped into a relegation fight at one point.

But Rooney's arrival has sparked new life into the Rams, who currently sit in 12th-place of the Championship table, with five points separating them from Preston in 6th.

Speaking to the Derby Telegraph about Rooney's arrival at the club, goalkeeping coach Given had this to say:

“I played against Wayne many times down my career so to have him on the same team now is better from my side of things. His presence around the place, he’s our captain, our leader, it’s a fantastic signing for Derby."

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Given made over 550 Premier League appearances for the likes of Newcastle United, Manchester City and Aston Villa in his career, winning 134 caps for the Republic of Ireland too.

“But he’s very humble as well, Wayne, he wants to get promoted, he wants to get back in the Premier League with Derby and that’s a great credit to him for the career he’s had that he wanted to come to us and try to push us over the line to get up to the promised land," continued the 44-year-old.

"He’s been brilliant since he walked in the building, even before January he was coming in a month before to get fit and really hit the ground running.

"His professionalism and the way he goes about his business every single day. He’s just a joy to see. You see the young players looking up to him. You see him, he’s the last one on the training pitch, doing shooting practice or passing drills. He’s trying to improve still.”

Given has been with Derby since 2018. He along with Rooney provide some extra Premier League insight, and their presence resemble the current ambitions of the club.

The verdict

We talk about Rooney as though he's an aged veteran of the game, but he's still only 34, and seemingly with at least a few more years left in him. He's been on the footballing scene for over half his life now and Derby are lucky to have him, and he could yet be the man to sustain top-flight football at the club.