Wayne Rooney is excelling in a withdrawn role that suggests Everton’s investment might have been spent better than on Gylfi Sigurdsson.
Wayne Rooney netted his ninth Premier League goal of the season against Newcastle United on Wednesday, continuing his fine form back in an Everton shirt.
The former England captain has found a new lease of life at his boyhood club, most notably hitting a stunning hat-trick against West Ham United last month.
All of a sudden, this free transfer looks like a great bit of business from the Toffees rather than simply an opportunity to welcome back a former hero.
However, Everton still lack a top class centre forward to play ahead of Rooney and so may now be ruing their decision to invest a huge sum on club-record signing Gylfi Sigurdsson in the summer.
Sigurdsson – currently doing well out wide – would nevertheless favour the position currently occupied by Rooney and, given Everton’s evident need for a striker, it is particularly frustrating that the Toffees invested so much on a player who is now being forced out of position.
Pondering this decision to sign so many playmakers is hardly a new phenomenon this season, but Rooney currently looks like a better option than Sigurdsson and he was secured on a free.
Everton could hardly be blamed for now regretting a move that leaves Sam Allardyce with little option but to include both Rooney and Sigurdsson in his line-up – to the possible detriment of the team.
Sigurdsson may well become a good long-term investment, but his signing may have always been due to clash with Rooney’s preferred role as a number 10.
Manchester United’s record goalscorer has delivered and now Everton are short elsewhere.
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