Raymond van Barneveld has insisted he still believes he can challenge for major PDC titles after linking up with Wayne Rooney’s management agency.
The five-time world champion has endured a testing 2026, with form and schedule pressure leaving his place among the sport’s elite under fresh scrutiny. But the Dutchman has now used the announcement of his new management partnership to restate that his ambitions still reach beyond exhibition value and nostalgia.
Van Barneveld’s message matters because the PDC calendar is moving quickly toward its Blackpool and autumn major stretch. At 59, every statement about workload, belief and planning carries extra weight for a player still trying to turn profile into results on the biggest stages.
Barney Keeps Major Target Alive
Speaking in a video announcing the move, Van Barneveld said he still wanted to perform on the majors and European Tour, adding that he believed he still had tournament wins in him, according to DartsNews.
The Rooney link also adds a sharper commercial layer. Van Barneveld remains one of darts’ most recognisable names, but this move only becomes significant competitively if it supports a late-career reset rather than simply extending his off-stage profile.
For the PDC audience, the next question is simple: whether Barney’s new backing can help turn belief into a tangible run before the year closes.
