Rooney's second Everton debut may be vs Gor Mahia of Kenya

'Get on with it!': Wayne Rooney issues blunt response to Virgil van Dijk as he takes aim at the Liverpool captain after yet another complaint over 12.30pm kick-offs following disastrous derby loss
Liverpool close in on Arne Slot as next manager with talks developing quickly to take over from Jurgen Klopp - and a deal worth more than £10m could even be concluded by THIS WEEKEND
Captain fantastic Bruno Fernandes is Man United's own superhero... the new era at Old Trafford must be built around their Portuguese superstar, writes NATHAN SALT
Liverpool's title chances were washed away on a blue tide of desire. The timing of this defeat by Everton could not have been worse, writes IAN LADYMAN
Ruben Amorim held talks with West Ham on Monday - yet remains a 8/1 outsider with Sky Bet to be appointed manager of the Hammers
The next king of the Kop! Arne Slot is a Pep Guardiola disciple who orders his teams to attack relentlessly like Jurgen Klopp. He ticks EVERY box for Liverpool
Liverpool's title dream is 'OVER', Mo Salah has been 'so far off it' and Reds must make decision over 'erratic' Darwin Nunez's future... Jamie Carragher's RUTHLESS verdict after derby defeat
Erik ten Hag hits back at criticism of Man United's come-from-behind win over Sheffield United and insists his side were in 'total control'... after calling critics 'a disgrace' following FA Cup semi-final
Jude Bellingham's new girlfriend REVEALED: Model is 'completely smitten' with the footballer and 'has been staying at his Spanish pad'
Phil Foden reveals what it's REALLY like to play for Pep Guardiola in an It's All Kicking Off! podcast special
Referees chief Howard Webb will hold peace talks with Nottingham Forest this week after furious statement blasting decisions and Stuart Attwell... with VAR audio set to be played at the meeting
Football agent Saif Rubie says it would have been a 'suicide mission' to threaten former Chelsea chief Marina Granovskaia in row over £300,000 payment
Crestfallen Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp APOLOGISES after derby defeat and admits only 'a crisis' at Man City and Arsenal can save their title hopes... as captain Virgil van Dijk questions whether his team-mates 'really want to win the league'
THE NOTEBOOK: Jack Dowling unites Goodison Park, Idrissa Gana Gueye suffocates Liverpool's creativity and Sean Dyche changes it up after 550 games
PLAYER RATINGS: Jarrad Branthwaite played like he has been at this level for a decade for Everton while Idrissa Gueye was everywhere... but which Liverpool star is given a 3.5/10?
Everton fans stick the knife into Liverpool supporters by serenading them with new song, as Toffees taunt their local rivals after puncturing Reds' title ambitions
Revealed: Why Everton star Jarrad Branthwaite's Merseyside derby goal against Liverpool might not have been allowed under new 'zero tolerance' rule set to come in next season
Wayne Rooney SLAMS Liverpool's 'school-boy' defending for Jarrad Branthwaite's goal in Merseyside derby defeat, as Jurgen Klopp's men crumble in intensity of Goodison Park to all-but end title hopes
Brittle Man United had to drag themselves back yet AGAIN... Erik ten Hag keeps giving reasons for him not to be part of the club's future, writes CHRIS WHEELER
Bruno Fernandes admits Man United 'put ourselves in a position where it's tough to win games' but hails the team's character to come from behind again in 4-2 win over Sheffield United
PLAYER RATINGS: Bruno Fernandes stole the show for Man United and dug them out of a hole... but which two players only receive a 5/10 rating?
THE NOTEBOOK: Sheffield United's leaky defence breaks a record, Man United stand against spending cap as Ethan Wheatley makes his debut for Red Devils
Andre Onana GIFTS Sheffield United opening goal at Old Trafford, as goalkeeper's shocking pass allows Jayden Bogle to strike for bottom club
Xavi makes HUGE U-turn and is now set to STAY as Barcelona manager, with club icon changing his mind despite previously insisting 'it was absolutely right decision' to step down this summer

Wayne Rooney looks set to return to Everton from Manchester United
He could play for the club in their pre-season friendly in Tanzania on July 13
Everton play Gor Mahia FC, 15-time champions of Kenya but little known in UK

Published: 06:21 EDT, 7 July 2017 | Updated: 10:47 EDT, 7 July 2017

e-mail

Talk of Wayne Rooney returning to Everton this summer has gathered pace after Manchester United agreed a £75m fee for Toffees striker Romelu Lukaku.

United are set to waive a fee for Rooney should he move back to the club where he started his career, making a switch to Goodison Park even more likely.

Interest has grown as to who will be the first opponents to an Everton side featuring Rooney - and they could be a club from Kenya little known in England.

Wayne Rooney's second Everton debut could come in a friendly against Kenya's Gor Mahia FC

The African side, little known in England, are 15-time winners of their country's national league

Gor Mahia won a cup competition for the right to face Everton in Tanzania on July 13

Everton had scheduled a pre-season friendly in the east African nation of Tanzania, and on Friday announced they will be playing Gor Mahia FC.

Gor Mahia - who are Kenya's most successful club, winning the national league a record 15 times - won a cup played between African sides, earning them the right to take on the Premier League team.

They beat fellow Kenyan team AFC Leopards 3-0 with second-half goals from Timothy Otieno, Oliver Maloba and John Ndirangu.

It would be a far cry from his first Everton bow - at home to Tottenham in the Premier League

Rooney's Manchester United debut was extraordinary, he scored a Champions League hattrick

They will now play Ronald Koeman's men at the 60,000-seater Tanzania National Stadium on July 13 - with the big question now whether they will be playing a team featuring Rooney or not.

It is a far cry from who Rooney faced in his first Everton debut in August 2002, when he played 67 minutes of a Premier League game against Tottenham Hotspur.

His Manchester United debut was truly remarkable - he scored a hat-trick in a 6-2 Champions League thumping of Fenerbahce.