“Ecstatic”
Wayne Rooney declared winning silverware with his beloved Blues would be the “pinnacle” of his career after the forward sealed his emotional return to Everton Football Club.
The 31-year-old forward penned a two-year-deal with the Toffees, moving for an undisclosed fee from Manchester United, to come back to the club he has supported all his life and first joined as a nine-year-old, before rising through the Academy and becoming a first-team star from 2002-2004.
England’s all-time leading goalscorer admits putting on the Blue shirt again will be “an emotional day”.
And having enjoyed a trophy-laden 13-year career at Old Trafford – including winning the Champions League, Europa League, five Premier League titles, one FA Cup and one FIFA Club World Cup – Rooney believes helping the ambitious Blues to silverware would be extra special.
After becoming the Club’s sixth summer signing – following the arrivals of goalkeeper Jordan Pickford, defender
Michael Keane, midfielder Davy Klaassen and forwards
Sandro Ramirez and Henry Onyekuru – an “excited” Rooney told
evertontv: “(Winning trophies with Everton) would be the pinnacle. 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.”
Rooney became Everton’s second youngest player after
Joe Royle at the time when he made his debut aged of 16 years and nine months against Tottenham Hotspur at Goodison in August 2002.
In October of that year, he was back in the record books as the Club’s then-youngest scorer – beating
Tommy Lawton’s 70-year record – with a late double in a League Cup win at Wrexham. And weeks later, he grabbed worldwide attention with a stunning 25-yard injury-time winner in a 2-1 Premier League success over Arsenal at Goodison.
England’s most-capped outfield player made the switch to Manchester United in the summer of 2004. And after a successful 13-year career with the Red Devils, he spoke of how there was only one club he wanted to move to for once he discovered Everton’s interest.
“As I’ve said for the last few years, if I left Manchester United, there’s only Everton and Manchester United I’d play for - I wouldn’t play for another Premier League team,” said Rooney.
“I was true to that and I firmly meant that. I didn’t want to play for another club in England other than Everton. Once I knew Everton were interested and wanted to sign me, I made my agent aware, ‘Go and speak to them, let’s make it happen. That’s where I want to go’.”
Rooney revealed how Everton manager Ronald Koeman and Chairman Bill Kenwright played key roles in bringing him back to Goodison.
“Ronald Koeman was very influential in me coming here,” he added. “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 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.”