WE CAN’T AFFORD YOU ROO
Everton wary of Wayne’s wonga
WAYNE ROONEY is in danger of pricing himself out of an emotional return to Everton.
The Manchester United striker has accepted that his future lies away from Old Trafford this summer after failing to establish himself in Jose Mourinho’s line-up last season.
He has two years remaining on a lucrative United contract worth at least £250,000 a week.
With jaw-dropping salaries available to Rooney should he decide to move to China, the England star feels he is in a strong position. Rooney recently said that, aside from United, his first club Everton are the only other English team he would want to play for.
Despite showing an interest, Ronald Koeman’s club would not be prepared to shatter the Goodison wage structure to accommodate the 31-year-old.
The Toffees recently offered unsettled Romelu Lukaku a record £140,000-a-week deal – but that is the upper limit of their pay scale.
While Everton can see the value in a PR coup like signing Rooney, they are not
prepared to pay anything like the money he currently pockets at United.
That could leave Rooney in limbo unless he is ready to accept a huge pay cut to return to his boyhood club.
It is understood Rooney is not keen on uprooting his family to China. But he knows he could earn over £400,000 a week if he does.
After Michael Carrick’s testimonial on Sunday, Rooney lingered on the Old Trafford pitch and appeared to be saying a personal goodbye. But unless he is prepared to shift his current sights, pre-season will start at the beginning of next month with Rooney still at United.
Reports in Spain claim that Real Madrid have abandoned their pursuit of United keeper David De Gea.
After landing the league and Champions League double, Real boss Zinedine Zidane is said to have decided to keep faith with Keylor Navas.