Rooney ruled out of final game with future in doubt
Wayne Rooney may have played for the last time for Everton after being forced out of the season’s final game through injury.
The 32-year-old drove from the club’s Finch Farm headquarters early yesterday, having been ruled out of tomorrow’s trip to West Ham United by a knee problem.
Rooney will not want it to signal the beginning of the end of his reunion at Goodison Park, but there is much to consider over the coming weeks. Manager Sam Allardyce rejected claims that Rooney had asked to join Major League Soccer’s DC United and also refuted suggestions of a rift forcing him out.
The US side confirmed interest but said they were yet to agree the move with Rooney.
“The deal is not done but there is some interest from our end,” the club’s manager, Ben Olsen, told American website TMZ.
Allardyce said further discussion would take place. “Wayne is his own man and whatever is decided, it’s not decided by me, it’s decided by Everton Football Club, collectively, and it’s decided by Wayne and his agent and what they want to do,” he said.
“We all know the player has the power today, more than the club. So what happens we’ll find out and when the season is finished.
“But let’s put this right, Wayne Rooney has not asked to leave and neither has Wayne Rooney had any confrontation with me or been in any difficult situation in the time since I’ve been here, because we are two adults and we talk.”
Allardyce would not be drawn into making any assurances when asked if he could promise Rooney as much game time next season.
He said: “How as a manager can you guarantee anyone to play, because if they don’t play well you can’t select them and if they do play well they stay in the team? That is the simple fact of the matter.”