HE was the dutiful rock by his wife’s side during the ‘Wagatha Christie’ trials, and duly whisked his family away on glamorous holidays to Dubai and Ibiza.

But Wayne Rooney’s latest trip does not appear to be going down so well with Coleen, after he was photographed landing in Washington to discuss a £1million-a-year-role as boss of DC United.

The former Manchester United and England ace, 36, is “oceans apart” from his wife, who is said to be refusing to return to the US after failing to settle during their last stint living abroad.

In her highly-publicised trial against fellow WAG Rebekah Vardy, Coleen confessed that when she lived in Maryland in 2019, she was so miserable that she “cried every night”.

The Rooneys moved over when Wayne signed for DC United as a player, but Coleen struggled with homesickness and adapting to life in the “quiet” suburbs.

Having grown “really bored” stateside, the family’s hopes of making it big like the Beckhams were dashed further after Wayne was arrested at Dulles airport and spotted downing shots in a ten-hour booze up with a barmaid.

Now, Coleen and their four children Kai, 12, Cass, four, Klay, nine, and Kit, six, are determined to stay put in their new £20million Cheshire home – even if Wayne decides to take the helm at his former club.

‘It’s tough being on your own’

Coleen’s dislike of Washington emerged in leaked text messages from 2018 sent to Rebekah Vardy during the Wagatha Christie libel trial, in which she confessed how lonely she was feeling Stateside.

In response to Rebekah asking how things were, Coleen replied: “Hiya, hope your all week [well]. We’re ok thanks its tough being on your own though.”

She added: “Washington isn’t the best….nice to visit but different to live. Not loads for the kids to do, mostly park, hardly any soft plays and things like that. It’s quite behind the UK, which I never would have thought. But we will get used to it (I hope).

“Wayne is loving it, and the kids are fine, settled into school straight away. So really happy they are fine. Thanks for the message love xx.” 

In a separate message, she admitted that she “never believed in homesickness” until leaving the UK, adding that she “cried every night” due to missing her family back home.

Bored with nothing to do

Living in Cheshire, Wayne and Coleen have enjoyed a lavish lifestyle of nights out with celeb friends in upmarket Alderley Edge, and the five-star Chinese restaurant, Wing’s, in Manchester where banquets cost almost £60 per person.

But during their time in the States, the Sun revealed how they were more likely to pick up a takeaway from fast food outlet Nando’s than dine out, and spent most of their time at home.

A source close to Coleen revealed the pair struggled to adjust to their more homely life in the US.

They said: “Wayne and Coleen are really bored over there. She has no friends and is at home with their kids all the time.

“They live in Maryland, which is really quiet, so if they do go out it’s bowling or cinema with the kids.”

Swapped holidays for home

Coleen was also known for her regular holidays in sun-soaked destinations such as Barbados before they moved to Maryland.

In 2018 alone, she had six holidays – and loved to bring her mum Colette along.

However, these trips seemed to dry up after their move.

And while Coleen had been reluctant to hire nannies in the UK, she struggled in America without the help of Colette, who lives just down the road in Cheshire.

Our insider said: “Before she left the UK to go back to the States at Christmas, Coleen told friends her first job would be to find a babysitter as she can’t cope without a break from the kids every now and then.”

£20m Cheshire estate

Wayne and Coleen have recently done up their £20m estate in the area, although it’s been mocked for “looking like a Morrisons”.

The Rooneys’ new pad sits on a 40-acre plot in Cheshire, and includes a number of buildings, stables, two man-made fishing lakes and an orangery.

The mansion also boasts a TV room, snooker room, bar, wine store, cinema, gym and swimming pool, as well as an underground tunnel to a six-car garage.

And there are believed to even be separate lifts – one for the family, the other for visitors – so it’s no wonder Coleen wants to stay put.

Meanwhile, despite still being a big house, their place in Maryland wasn’t quite the same. 

“They have a massive house and it’s beautiful but it’s not the exciting, glamorous life she’s used to. She’s very homesick and misses her parents,” our source said.

Arrested for ‘drunken’ behaviour

Wayne’s indiscretions while they were in the US also put a strain on his relationship with Coleen

In December 2018, he was arrested for being drunk at Dulles Airport.

A spokesman said he was “disorientated” after mixing sleeping pills with alcohol during a long haul flight from Saudi Arabia.

“He was approached by police who arrested him on a minor misdemeanour charge,” they added. “He received a statutory automatic fine and was released shortly afterwards at the airport.”

Then, in February 2019 he had a boozy night out with a barmaid while on a training camp in Florida, and he was also pictured outside a Hooters bar, famed for their sexy waitresses in revealing clothes.

And his behaviour is understood to have been the trigger for Coleen demanding they return home in 2019.

Wayne is now keen to take the DC managerial job to further his career after retiring as a player, but pals of the couple fear it will put yet more strain on their troubled marriage.

A source said: “Wayne has discussed the job with Coleen, but she has categorically said she’s not going.

“That said, she doesn’t want to stand in his way. They have an understanding that they are a team but emotionally she isn’t invested.

“There has been a lot of back and forth but they now agree to disagree.

“The children are settled in school and do not want to go back to America, so they plan to stay in Cheshire with their mum.

“It will be very hard for everyone as a managerial job is much more time consuming than being a player, so nipping back to the UK will be hard.”

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