Everton chairman Bill Kenwright holds talks with Wayne Rooney's agent Paul Stretford as Manchester United striker edges closer to emotional return

  • Everton are expected to come to an agreement to bring back Wayne Rooney
  • Manchester United could pay up the remaining two years of his contract 
  • Rooney has become a peripheral figure at United and may leave on free transfer
  • Everton's main priority is signing Gylfi Sigurdsson in a £35m from Swansea City

Wayne Rooney's agent Paul Stretford held talks with Everton chairman Bill Kenwright on Wednesday afternoon as the Manchester United striker's return to Goodison Park edged closer.

The two men spoke at Kenwright's London offices and further talks are planned in the coming days with Everton increasingly hopeful of bringing Rooney back to Merseyside 13 years after he left for Old Trafford in a £27million transfer.

Everton have stepped up their interest in the last few days and there is a willingness on behalf of both clubs and the Rooney camp to strike a deal.


Manchester United forward Wayne Rooney is closing in on a return to boyhood club Everton

Manchester United forward Wayne Rooney is closing in on a return to boyhood club Everton

Rooney could be heading back, with a season-long loan understood to be on offer

Rooney could be heading back, with a season-long loan understood to be on offer

Rooney departed Everton for United 13 years ago but the two clubs are negotiating a deal

Rooney departed Everton for United 13 years ago but the two clubs are negotiating a deal

However, no agreement has been reached yet and it's understood that all three sides will have to compromise before that happens.

A number of options are being discussed including United paying up the remaining two years of Rooney's contract and allowing him to leave on a free transfer, and a season-long loan which would see the two clubs share his £230,000-a-week wages. 

Everton have always been Rooney's preference ahead of a move to China or America, and he confirmed after United's win in the Europa League final in May that they were the only club he would play for after leaving Old Trafford.

But until now the finances have proved a significant stumbling block with Everton only prepared to pay a fee of £10m and wages of £150,000-a-week for a 31-year-old player whose stock has fallen significantly in the last 12 months. 

Rooney's agent, Paul Stratford, has had talks with Bill Kenwright at his office in London

Rooney's agent, Paul Stratford, has had talks with Bill Kenwright at his office in London

Rooney returned to Goodison Park alongside his son to watch a game in December 2015

Rooney returned to Goodison Park alongside his son to watch a game in December 2015

Rooney took part in Ferguson's testimonial match against Villarreal in August 2015

Rooney took part in Duncan Ferguson's testimonial match against Villarreal in August 2015

They had a loan bid rejected in January but talks have been revived this week after Rooney decided to stay in England following a family holiday in Mykonos mulling over his future.

Everton's major shareholder Farhad Moshiri and Kenwright see the commercial value in bringing Rooney back to his spiritual home. They also hope he can resurrect his flagging career which has stagnated at United under Jose Mourinho.

Rooney was again seen at a spin class in Liverpool on Wednesday as he tries to build up his fitness before United's players are due to report for pre-season on Saturday. It remains to be seen if he will fly to California on tour with the rest of Mourinho's squad 24 hours later. 

Toffees boss Ronald Koeman  is still keen to make changes to his squad for next season

Toffees boss Ronald Koeman is still keen to make changes to his squad for next season

Gylfi Sigurdsson's (right) guile would add an extra dimension to Everton if he joined

Gylfi Sigurdsson's (right) guile would add an extra dimension to Everton if he joined

Re-signing Rooney would be another statement of intent by Everton in a summer that has seen then spend £90m on goalkeeper Jordan Pickford, defender Michael Keane, midfielder Davy Klaassen, and forward Sandro Ramirez.

Despite the interest surrounding Rooney's return, their main priority is signing Gylfi Sigurdsson in a £35m from Swansea City. They also have an interest in Arsenal striker Olivier Giroud.

That begs the question where Rooney will fit into Koeman's 4-2-3-1 formation next season, with Sigurdsson and Klaassen pencilled in to fill two of the three slots behind a main striker.

From United's point of view, offloading their club captain and all-time record goalscorer makes sense after Rooney became a peripheral figure last season. 

Olivier Giroud would complement Everton with his aerial prowess and hold-up play

Olivier Giroud would complement Everton with his aerial prowess and hold-up play

Everton have spent big after being financially backed by majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri

Everton have spent big after being financially backed by majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri

Romelu Lukaku wants to leave Everton but the club are happy to keep him for another season

Romelu Lukaku wants to leave Everton but the club are happy to keep him for another season

But that is unlikely to placate Mourinho who wants two new strikers to replace Rooney and Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

United missed out on Atletico Madrid's Antoine Griezmann and look likely to lose out to Chelsea for Romelu Lukaku, the £100m-rated Everton striker.

A deal involving Rooney and Lukaku has been discussed between United and Everton in recent months, but the Belgium striker has set his heart on a return to Stamford Bridge.

United are also struggling to complete a deal for Real Madrid's Alvaro Morata, with Mourinho understood to be growing increasingly impatient with his executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward.

If Rooney does stay at home when United fly on Sunday, Mourinho would only have Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial as recognised centre-forwards to face Real Madrid, Manchester City and Barcelona on tour.

 

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