Everton open to Rooney return
Everton manager Ronald Koeman has paved the way for Wayne Rooney’s return to the club of his youth by saying he would make the side “stronger”.
Last week Rooney said he was staying with Manchester United following persistent speculation he could make a lucrative move to the Chinese Super League. But doubts still surround the long-term club future of the 31-year-old Rooney, the England national side’s record goalscorer, and Koeman appears ready to try to bring him back to Liverpoolbased Everton.
“I believe that Wayne Rooney is still playing at a high level,” Koeman told Sky Sports.
“I think he made a good choice to stay at Manchester United and in the Premier League because he has still two or three years in front of him to play on a high level,” the former Dutch international said.
“What will happen at the end of the season? I don’t know, but in my opinion he is one of the players who can make Everton more stronger.
“It’s all about what the player likes; what Manchester United needs to do; and we are not involved in that project.
“But every player that we at Everton think can make the team stronger is welcome to Everton,” he said.
Steve Walsh, Everton’s director of football, endorsed Koeman’s comments, adding: “Wayne Rooney is one of the greatest players that has ever played the game in England and so for us not to be interested would be wrong.
“He started his career here and if the opportunity arose that he could come back and it sat well with everyone, it is something we would consider.
“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?
“But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Wayne is contracted to Manchester United, and [has] made a decision to continue to play for them.”
Rooney joined Everton as a nine-year-old and made his senior debut aged 16 on the opening day of the 2002-03 season against Tottenham Hotspur. The 18-year-old Rooney left Everton to join United in a £27m move in 2004.
Speculation about his Old Trafford future has intensified since Rooney ceased to be a first-team regular under manager Jose Mourinho. That was heightened when he was left on the bench for Sunday’s League Cup final win against Southampton at Wembley. Manchester United striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic has likened himself to a lion after his brace in Sunday’s 3-2 League Cup final win over Southampton took his goal tally to 26 this season.
Ibrahimovic has made more appearances than any other member of Jose Mourinho’s squad with United pursuing further silverware in the FA Cup and Europa League, as well as a top-four (English) League finish.
“I feel fresh. I feel good. I feel like an animal. I’m an animal. I feel like a lion,” the 35-year-old told British media.
“I feel in good shape. I train hard. People who know me from the locker room know that I train very hard.”
There were initial suggestions that the ageing Swede would struggle to adapt to the pace and intensity of the English game and Ibrahimovic Premier admitted he has silencing his doubters.
“I am still doing what I have been doing every year but some people won’t accept it or admit it... It is special because I was written off,” he said.
“It is because I am here in England. After all these years [people said]: ‘He didn’t come and show himself here.’ But I came. And I came when people thought it was impossible for me to do what I am able to do.” enjoyed