The Director of Football at Goodison Park thinks the all time England goalscorer would be ‘wrong’ to overlook his boyhood club.
Rooney at Everton
Ever since Wayne Rooney’s future at Manchester United has been put into doubt, one club has increasingly become linked with the record breaking striker, and it is one he knows very well.
Many personal connections with Everton have encouraged Rooney to return to his boyhood club where he burst onto the scene as a sixteen year old. The 31-year-old scored 17 goals in 77 games as a teenager at Goddison Park, before a big money move to Old Trafford in 2004.
Current Everton manager Ronald Koeman has told Sky Sports that he would ‘welcome’ the England international into the squad.
The Dutchman claimed: ”He’s one of the players who can make Everton stronger than they are now.”
However, the most recent member of Everton’s hierarchy to attempt to entice Rooney has been Director of Football Steve Walsh.
Walsh, who played a significant part in masterminding Leicester City’s title triumph has been somewhat less diplomatic in his comments than Koeman, waxing lyrical about a player who is the leading goalscorer of England and Manchester United.
He told Sky Sports: “Wayne Rooney is one of the greatest players that has ever played the game in England and for us not to be interested would be wrong.”
“He is a class apart, he sees things, and all the things that have been said about Wayne are true. He comes into that category of being one of England’s greatest ever players, so why wouldn’t we be interested? I think the whole thing would be euphoric.”
Despite the hype around a return to his old club, Rooney is still contracted to Manchester United. However, it is looking increasingly likely that he will start next campaign away from Old Trafford.
His future is likely to fill plenty of column inches over the summer. Whether he ends up back at Goodison Park or not remains to be seen.
Wayne Rooney in action for Everton during Duncan Ferguson’s testimonial
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