Wayne Rooney completes his return to boyhood club Everton from Manchester United
WAYNE ROONEY has completed his return to boyhood club Everton from Manchester United.
The Toffees have confirmed today that the deal was done as he comes back to Goodison Park 13 years after his departure.
Rooney, 31, was at Everton's Finch Farm training ground on Saturday to undergo his medical before signing on the dotted line.
After completing his move, in a video posted on the club's Twitter page, he said: “Hi everyone.
"I’m delighted to be back at Everton.
"I can’t wait to put the blue shirt on and run out at Goodison. See you soon.”
Rooney insists he didn't just return for sentimental reasons and claims that winning a trophy with Everton would be the greatest achievement of his career.
Speaking to , he added: “[Winning trophies with Everton] would be the pinnacle.
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“I really feel now the club is moving in the right direction, bringing the right calibre of players in.
“I want to be part of it and hopefully part of a successful Everton team.
“It’s a great feeling to be back.
“I’m excited, I cannot wait to meet the lads, get on the training pitch and then get on the pitch to play.
“I’m ecstatic — I just cannot wait to get back playing.
“I’m excited, and I’m excited by the signings that the club have made.
“This club is moving forward."
“This football club should be winning trophies and we’re taking huge steps to being involved and trying to win trophies.
“The first game back will be an emotional day for me and I’m looking forward to it.
“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.
“I want to be part of it. There will be pressure on me to perform, but I’m ready to go.
“I believe I can help move this club forward and be more successful on the pitch.
“With the new stadium in the pipeline, it’s an exciting time to be an Everton player, to be an Everton fan.
“It’s on us players to make those times even more exciting by giving them good performances and try to help them be successful and bring trophies to the club.”
Describing how he has never fallen out of love with the club, he added: "It feels great. To be honest, I’ve kept it quiet for the last 13 years but I’ve actually been wearing Everton pyjamas at home with my kids. I had to keep that a bit quiet."
Rooney also praised the roles of Ronald Koeman in ensuring he made the return.
He said: “Ronald Koeman was very influential in me coming here.
“When it was obvious I was going to be leaving Manchester United this summer, Ronald came out a few times and said how much he wanted me at the club and that had a huge impact on me.
“There were other options there but once I knew that Everton wanted me to come back then it was the only option for me.
“Bill [Kenwright] obviously played a big role in it but the important one was Ronald Koeman.
“He was the one who picks the team and he’s the one who has his ideas on the football pitch.
“There were a lot more things behind the scenes which needed to happen but, for me, the important person to speak to was Ronald Koeman.
“As I spoke to Ronald and saw it in his eyes that he wanted me to be part of his team, it was a no-brainer for me and the only place I was going to go.”
Koeman echoed Rooney's words, insisting his experience in winning trophies is the reason Everton pursued him.
He added: “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.
"And don’t forget the experience he will give to the rest of the team.
“Wayne, of course, is still competitive – he will be a competitor always – and he wants to play at the highest level that is possible for him.
“We have spoken several times about Everton and what we are striving to achieve."
“It’s all about his fitness and his desire, but he has shown me that ambition that we need.
"He knows how to win titles, as I said.
“No one in the team except Gareth Barry and Davy Klaassen [in the Eredivisie] have won titles.
“The Under-20s are World Champions but not in the Premier League — he is that player.
“We have a lot of young players and sometimes in life you need somebody who you look up to, who you learn from.
“That was also one of the messages when we spoke about on and off the pitch what his function will be in the team.
“One of the functions for Wayne is to show the rest of the team why he is — and still is — that player.
"His main quality is his quality on the ball, his experience and what I describe as his winning mentality.
"It’s his home and he likes that competition, he likes that pressure. I’m really happy that he finally decided to come back.
"Everybody knows he can play out of different positions up front.
“He’s a smart player. He’s an experienced football player and that helps everybody."
He became the world's most-expensive teenager when he left Merseyside for Old Trafford in 2014 for £25.6million.
England's all-time top goalscorer went on to win five Premier League titles, the Champions League, the FA Cup, Fifa Club World Cup, Europa League and the League Cup four times.
Lukaku completed his medical and will link up with best mate Paul Pogba on United's pre-season tour.
Rooney will receive a £10million golden goodbye from United after ending his time with the Europa League champions.
But his £160,000-a-week deal at new club Everton is just over HALF his United wages.
Rooney is expected to be granted a two-year contract plus an option of a further 12 months, after which he plans to hang up his boots.
Former England skipper Rooney, who was on £300,000 a week at Old Trafford, could have remained at the Red Devils for a further two years.
But he would have effectively become a £30m bystander.
United had no intention of paying him any more than a third of that figure to start a new career.
After his departure was confirmed, United manager Jose Mourinho praised his former skipper.
He said: “It is no secret that I have long been an admirer of Wayne.
“He has been a model professional throughout his time at the club and will remain in the history books for many years to come.
“It is never easy to see a great player playing less football than he would like and I could not stand in his way when he asked to go back to Everton.
“His experience, focus and determination will be missed and I wish him well for the future.”
