Everton Transfers: Wayne Rooney Completes Goodison Return
Rooney returns to Everton after 13 years at United.
Wayne Rooney has completed a transfer to Everton, re-joining his boyhood club after a 13-year spell at Manchester United.
The England captain found opportunities at United under Jose Mourinho hard to come by last season after the Portuguese favoured Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Marcus Rashford upfront.
And Everton, who are close to selling Romelu Lukaku to Old Trafford, have given the 31-year-old the opportunity to rejuvenate his career back at the club where it all began in 2002.
United reportedly agreed to waive any transfer fee in order to strengthen their hand in the ongoing Lukaku negotiations, and Rooney said he was "ecstatic" with the chance to return to Goodison Park.
Toffees boss Ronald Koeman, who has already brought in Jordan Pickford, Michael Keane and Sandro Ramirez this summer, praised his latest acquisition's "winning mentality" and said he did not doubt the Rooney's ability, despite a turgid final season across the M62.
The striker has also sought to quash any notion that the move is based on sentiment, stating: "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."
After being dropped by Gareth Southgate earlier in the year, Rooney now has less than twelve months to win back his place in the England side in time for the World Cup.