John Rooney admits the ever-improving quality of Major League Soccer influenced him to come to the USA to try his luck.
The younger brother of Manchester United star striker Wayne, Rooney Junior has signed a MLS contract and will be available for the 2011 SuperDraft to be held in Baltimore on January 13.
The 20-year old forward, who has spent three seasons with English League Two club Macclesfield Town, recently had trials with Seattle Sounders and Portland Timbers and says that American soccer is something he is keen to be a part of.
"I've been watching the league for a few years now and it's getting better and better every year," he said in an interview with MLSsoccer.com.
"When I went over there in August I thoroughly enjoyed it. I went to one of the Seattle games [while on trial] and the Sounders fans were great. They [Sounders] had great support and it was a great experience. When I went over there it was fantastic from the start."
Rooney revealed he was offered the chance to re-sign with Macclesfield but opted to do something different for himself in the early stages of his developing career.
"I played for Macclesfield in the English league and they offered me a new contract," he added. "But I was focused on the chance and the opportunity to go over there [USA] in August and trial with two teams [Seattle and Portland]. It was the right time in my career to go over there and to improve on my young career."
