Wayne Rooney has urged Harry Kane to turn down reported interest from Barcelona and instead return to the Premier League with Manchester United, arguing that Old Trafford is the stage on which the Bayern Munich striker can cement his legacy.

Speaking on his BBC podcast, the Manchester United legend made a direct appeal to Kane, who has scored 70 goals across all competitions for club and country this season in a remarkable run of form.

"Listen, if Harry Kane's not going to stay at Bayern Munich then I'd love him at Manchester United. If he's listening: 'Harry, you've got Alan Shearer's record there… help get Manchester United back!'"

The Shearer record and a Premier League title

Rooney framed the move in terms of what Kane still has left to prove. The striker has already claimed a Bundesliga winner's medal, and Rooney acknowledged that a spell at Barcelona might add La Liga to that collection — but insisted that Kane's deepest ambition lies closer to home.

"You think for Harry Kane, he's won the Bundesliga and let's say he goes to Barcelona, he wins La Liga… deep down he wants to win the Premier League," Rooney said. "Imagine he comes to Manchester United and he's the one to drive that, to get Manchester United back to winning the league."

Shearer's all-time Premier League goalscoring record remains one of the sport's most coveted milestones, and Rooney suggested that reuniting with the English top flight would give the Tottenham Hotspur icon the platform to surpass it while simultaneously pushing a storied club back toward the summit.

Kane central to England's World Cup hopes

Rooney also addressed Kane's importance to England at the FIFA World Cup 2026, placing him alongside Jude Bellingham as the two players on whom the nation's tournament hopes rest.

"If we win the tournament then it's because of them, more so Harry Kane from my point of view," Rooney said. "I think Jude is one of those players who lifts his team-mates, probably not even knowing he's doing it, in terms of desire and hunger. Harry is the one who you're relying on with his goals."

Kane's decision on his future is expected to attract widespread attention across European football, with Barcelona understood to be monitoring the situation should he choose to leave Bayern Munich.