With a fee agreed for Belgian striker Romelu Lukaku to move in the opposite direction, the way appeared to be clear for the 31-year-old Rooney to leave Old Trafford after 13 years.
Manchester United's former England captain Wayne Rooney was pictured at Everton's training ground on Saturday ahead of a proposed transfer back to the boyhood favourites he first joined aged nine. With a fee agreed for Belgian striker Romelu Lukaku to move in the opposite direction, the way appeared to be clear for the 31-year-old Rooney to leave Old Trafford after 13 years.
On Sunday, both Everton and United confirmed Rooney's move back to his former club.
"(Winning trophies with Everton) would be the pinnacle," said Rooney. "I really feel now the club is moving in the right direction, bringing the right calibre of players in. I want to be part of it and hopefully part of a successful Everton team. It’s a great feeling to be back. I’m excited, I cannot wait to meet the lads, get on the training pitch and then get on the pitch to play. I’m ecstatic – I just cannot wait to get back playing."
"It is no secret that I have long been an admirer of Wayne; he has been a model professional throughout his time at the club and will remain in the history books for many years to come. It is never easy to see a great player playing less football than he would like and I could not stand in his way when he asked to go back to Everton. His experience, focus and determination will be missed and I wish him well for the future," said Unied manager Jose Mourinho.
United's Executive Vice Chairman Ed Woodward said in a statement: "Wayne has been a fantastic servant to United since the moment he signed for us as a prodigiously talented, explosive teenager some 13 seasons ago. Who can forget his storybook debut hat trick against Fenerbahce, the spectacular overhead kick against City and the countless match-winning performances in his time here? But after much discussion, the club has decided to accept his request to rejoin his boyhood team.
"He goes having created some of the most magical moments in some of the most successful years in the club's history. Wayne leaves us as our greatest ever goalscorer and having won every major trophy in the game. His record will take decades for anyone to get close to matching and I am extremely grateful for the way he has led from the front since being appointed club captain three years ago.
"On behalf of the whole club and our hundreds of millions of fans around the world, we wish Wayne all the very best for the next phase of his incredible career."
Rooney has played more than 550 games for them, scoring 253 goals to become their all-time leading scorer. But last season he was no longer an automatic selection under manager Jose Mourinho and also lost his place in the England squad. United were expected to fly to the United States without him to continue their pre-season preparations on Sunday.
REAL CONTRIBUTION
Everton manager Ronald Koeman said he believes Rooney can make a real contribution to the Merseyside club next season. "He loves Everton and he was desperate to come back," said the Dutchman. "He is still only 31 and I don't have any doubts about his qualities. It’s fantastic he’s here."
With a fee agreed between Everton and United for Belgium striker Romelu Lukaku to move in the opposite direction, the way was clear for Rooney to leave Old Trafford after 13 years. When he appeared at the Everton training ground on Saturday for a medical supporters soon arrived to welcome back a player who first joined the club aged nine.
Rooney is reported to be taking a large pay cut to return to Everton, who have been recruiting heavily under Koeman and financial backer Farhad Moshiri, a British-Iranian businessman, after finishing seventh in the league last season.
They have already bought young England players goalkeeper Jordan Pickford from Sunderland and Burnley's central defender Michael Keane plus Netherlands midfielder Davy Klaasen from Ajax Amsterdam among others, spending almost 90 million pounds.
(Inputs from Reuters)
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