3. Goodbye Wayne?
The career of Wayne Rooney has always , at certain periods, been the major talking point, and nothing seems to have changed as the Evertonian reaches, what should be, the peak of his powers. At Manchester United this season, Robin Van Persie has been the centre of attention, operating as the main target man, spearheading the attack to great effect, albeit the last or month or so where the Dutchman has gone off the boil. The hitmans arrival has caused Rooney to be shuffled into the shadows, struggling to match the feats of an equally talented superstar. It is a tendency of Rooneys to take the back seat when a player of Van Persies ilk turns on the charm, and though he can always be commended for his selflessness on the field, fans are often left disappointed when their top earner plays meekly, struggling to exert an influence on games in the same way as his contemporaries Ronaldo and Messi do on a weekly basis. After having been left out of Sir Alex Fergusons plans for the last-sixteen tie against Real Madrid, speculation has arose once more about the future of a player once dubbed as Englands chosen one. Now twenty-seven, Rooney is at the most crucial phase in his professional life, and will need to be settled if he is to take his game to the final level many have expected him to reach for a while now. Though it is not clear whether he and Ferguson share the same relationship they once did, it is evident that his manager does not always see him as the go-to man for the big occasions anymore, and even though he scored on his return to the starting eleven against Chelsea, he was shunted to the left side of midfield once Ferguson brought on Van Persie, in search for the winner. If Rooney should depart this summer, it will be big news, but perhaps not as impacting as it should be.