Transfer speculations surrounding Wayne Rooney never cease to exist. Not so long ago, the England and Manchester United captain was linked heavily with a move to the lucrative Chinese Super League. But the player came out and poured cold water on those rumours. But now, according to reports, the 31-year old is a target for former club Everton.
The Toffees manager made no secrets of his admiration for the former Evertonian, stating in the press that he would welcome a chance to work with Rooney at the Goodison Park next season, thus leaving the door open for a potential return to where it all began for the striker.
Having joined the Toffees at the age of nine, Rooney came through the ranks of the academy and burst onto the first-team picture as a young 16-year old, making his debut against Tottenham Hotspur on the opening day of the 2002-03 season. Six weeks later he went on to become Everton’s youngest goalscorer with two goals against Wrexham in the league cup. His first Premier League goal came two weeks after that – a last minute winner against Arsenal.
But when United came calling in 2004, Everton had to lose the best talent to have come through their academy. Now that there is scope for a return to his old hunting grounds, should he make the move? Would Everton benefit by bringing him back to Goodison park?
There are very few figures in football that polarize opinions as much as Wayne Rooney. While there are many who regard him as an absolute legend for club and country, there are an equal number of people who believe he is overrated and are too soon to dismiss him off as not “good enough”.
It is a very harsh assessment of someone who is the highest goalscorer for Manchester United and England, someone who has won five Premier League trophies along with a Champions League and many other club honours along with plenty of individual awards as well.
But now that he has entered his thirties, the popular opinion is that Rooney is over, done and dusted, at least at the topmost level. And it is not completely false that Rooney has hit a sudden downslide in form over the past year and has struggled to find a place in Jose Mourinho’s plans this term. It would be wrong to expect him to be the same player that used to terrorise defences for a long period in his career. However, he still has plenty to offer.
Imagine the statement that Everton would make if they are able to sign a player of the stature of Wayne Rooney and remains the club’s most famous supporter. Bringing him in would demonstrate the fact that Merseysiders can compete for the big names in the market. His presence in the squad would also aid Everton to bring in more players of a bigger stature.
And at 31, it’s not like he is completely over. Maybe he has lost his pace and the drive, but the intelligence and the technical brilliance are some things that will not desert the player and Rooney possesses them in bucket loads.
Manager Ronald Koeman has demonstrated that he can work with older players and extract the best from them as it can be seen by the value Gareth Barry brings to the Toffees team. Rooney may not play every game, but in modern times very few footballers do. His position may also be a matter of some concern, but given his versatility, Koeman could use him at the top of the three-man midfield pulling the strings or utilise him behind the striker as well.
However, the wages could prove to be a roadblock. Everton cannot match the wages that are reportedly being offered by the Chinese clubs, nor can they offer 250,000-a-week salary he currently earns with United.
But at this stage of his career, money will not be at the top of the priorities for Rooney. Maybe after spending a couple of seasons at home, he could earn his payday with a move to MLS or the Chinese League and he’d have completely deserved it.
The deal makes sense for both the parties as it allows Rooney to play at the highest level for a few more years, while at the same time provide Everton with a boost of having a player of the stature of Rooney. And the romance of seeing a player return to where it all began for him is just an added bonus.