Football's Rooney returns to Everton

Sunday, July 9, 2017

Manchester United's top scorer Wayne Rooney signed a two-year contract with his boyhood club Everton, the Merseyside based football club announced today.

Rooney joined Everton when he was nine years old, and made his professional debut in 2002 when he was sixteen years old. He scored seventeen goals with Everton in 77 appearances before he moved to the Old Trafford in 2004. The record goal scorer with United and with the English football team netted 253 goals in 559 games in the United jersey. He has won five Premier League titles, three EFL (English Football League) Cups, a UEFA Champions League, an FIFA Club World Cup, and an FA Cup. He also collected the winners' medal after Manchester United won the Europa League in May. Rooney was used as a late substitute in the Europa League final against the Dutch capital football club Ajax.

Rooney wore Manchester's jersey for thirteen seasons, and was club's top scorer of the season on five occasions. After the arrival of José Mourinho, last season, and United's manager, Rooney made just 25 appearances, starting only fifteen of them; scoring eight goals in total. This was his least number of appearances and goals scored in a single season.

After penning a two-year term, Rooney said, "I'm not just coming back because it's the team I support, the team I grew up playing for — I'm coming back because I feel the club can move forward and be successful". Earlier, Manchester United announced reaching an agreement for Belgian striker Romelu Lukaku with Everton.

Everton manager Ronald Koeman said, "Wayne has shown me that ambition that we need and that winning mentality — he knows how to win titles and I'm really happy he's decided to come home [...] He loves Everton and he was desperate to come back. He is still only 31 and I don't have any doubts about his qualities. It's fantastic he's here."

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Sources

"Wayne Rooney: Everton re-sign striker after 13 years at Manchester United" — BBC Sport, July 9, 2017
"Rooney Rejoins Everton" — Everton FC, July 9, 2017

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