Wayne Rooney at Everton for transfer talks

LONDON (Reuters) – 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 favorite he first joined aged nine.

Sky Sports News reported that he would be having a medical.

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.

He 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.

The past two campaigns have been the least productive in terms of goals of Rooney’s career – five and eight, respectively – while Mourinho, who began his reign by warmly praising Rooney’s striking prowess, did not trust him to deliver despite few options up front.

Then there is the wear and tear. Ever since the 16-year-old Rooney burst on to the scene with a stunning turn-andshoot goal against Arsenal, there have been fears about how long his top-flight career would last.

Where former goal-scorers like Teddy Sheringham played in the Premier League until past his 40th birthday, and Jermaine Defoe last week joined Bournemouth at the age of 35, Rooney is a different type of striker.

Heavy-boned and with an abrasive style, he has put his body through more than 500 games at the very highest level and although he has avoided serious injury he admits he has lost pace.

All of which helps explain United’s apparent decision to release him from the final year of his 250,000 pound per week contract, which also has the option of a further 12 months, for free.

United was expected to fly to the United States without him to continue its preseason preparations on Sunday.