ROONEY’S AGONY
£50m China offers on table but he’s pining for Everton
WAYNE RooNEY has at least two £50million offers from China to consider as his Manchester United career draws to a close.
But it is thought Rooney would find it difficult to reject an emotional return to boyhood club Everton, despite the riches on offer in the Far East.
The 31-year- old, whose international career was effectively ended yesterday when Gareth Southgate left him out of the England squad, is seriously considering two Chinese Super League offers worth £50m over two years. Even by Rooney’s standards, that is a life-changing sum.
He has discussed the prospect of moving to China with his family and will agonise over the decision during the next week. But a last-minute approach from Everton could persuade Rooney to stay.
Everton cannot come close to offering the kind of money Rooney would earn in China, but the club’s hierarchy remain determined to bring home a favourite son.
Everton will offer Rooney £150,000 a week — £100,000 less than he earns at United, whom he leaves with a heavy heart after 13 trophy-laden years. His China offers are worth £480,000 a week.
Rooney said: ‘There are lots of offers on
the table, both in England and abroad, and really that’s what I have to decide on.’ Asked how he will work out what to do, he replied: ‘I just have to make a decision in terms of football, and that’s what I’ll do. I’ll do that in the next few weeks with my family. ‘I’ve played for two clubs and they’re the only two Premier League clubs I’ll play for.’ Rooney was not named yesterday in Southgate’s squad for the England matches against Scotland and France, potentially bringing the curtain down on the record goalscorer’s 14-year international career. A move to China would surely end any lingering hopes he has of being recalled before next year’s World Cup. A switch to Everton would leave the door ajar for Rooney, who will continue to make himself available for England selection despite Southgate’s latest snub. Rooney’s England career has been under a cloud since he was left out of Southgate’s squad for the matches against Germany and Lithuania in March. At the time, the England manager insisted the decision was down to Rooney’s lack of regular football. However, Jose Mourinho has used Rooney more for United in recent weeks, but he still missed out on the squad. Southgate insisted yesterday that Rooney should not be written off. ‘We have a lot of players playing exceptionally well in the area of the pitch that Wayne plays,’ explained Southgate. ‘I said in March that he was a bit short of matches. He’s had some matches now, but we’ve got players who have done really well for us in Adam Lallana and Dele Alli. ‘We’ve got Marcus Rashford, Harry Kane coming back and Jermain Defoe, who did really well for us last time, while Jamie Vardy’s been in excellent form in the second half of the season. I can’t dress it up any other way. Other players are in really good form and deserve to keep their places. I’ve showed that, by selecting Defoe at 34, if players are playing well and the moment’s right, then we will involve them in the squad. ‘You never write off a player of Wayne’s quality and I’m sure next season he’ll be back to playing. He’s finished the season better and I’m sure he’ll take that into next year.’