talkSPORT EXCLUSIVE – Everton expecting Wayne Rooney to re-sign from Manchester United this summer
Everton are confident of signing Wayne Rooney this summer, talkSPORT understands.
Manchester United’s record goalscorer is weighing up his future having fallen down the pecking order at Old Trafford following Jose Mourinho’s arrival as manager.
Rooney has insisted he will not play for any other Premier League club but Everton - the team he supported as a youngster and with whom he made his professional debut - should he quit United.
And talkSPORT have now been told by sources close to the Merseyside club that it is 'almost inevitable' Rooney will return to Goodison Park.
Everton's majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri is backing boss Ronald Koeman heavily in the transfer market this summer.
Goalkeeper Jordan Pickford and midfielder Davy Klaassen have already arrived for a combined £54million.
Burnley defender Michael Keane and Malaga striker Sandro Ramirez are also set to join, for fees of £25m and £5.25m respectively.
Once those deals are done, Everton will then turn their focus to securing Rooney's signature.
The 31-year-old has 12 months left on his contract but Toffees chiefs are confident they can come to an agreement with United and believe Rooney wants to rejoin them.
Born in Croxteth, Rooney joined Everton as a nine-year-old and made his senior debut for the club aged just 16.
He announced himself to the football world in sensational style in October 2002 when he fired a brilliant long-range goal against Arsenal which ended a 30-match unbeaten league run for Arsene Wenger's side.
Rooney went on to score 17 goals in 77 appearances for Everton before Manchester United swooped to sign him in a £25.6 million deal in 2004.
He has gone on to win a host of major honours with United, including five Premier League titles, the Champions League and the FA Cup, and earlier this year surpassed Sir Bobby Charlton to become the club's record goalscorer.
Rooney has also rewritten the England record books, having scored 53 times in 119 caps to become the national team's all-time top scorer.
And Everton believe his experience could prove crucial in helping them achieve their ambition of becoming one of the Premier League's leading clubs.