Everton manager open to signing another Manchester United outcast

Everton manager Ronald Koeman has fuelled speculation for a sensational move for Wayne Rooney in the summer after revealing the Manchester United captain would make his team ‘stronger’.

Rooney, 31, was heavily linked with a move away from the club this season after dropping down the pecking order under Jose Mourinho and is still widely expected to leave the club in the summer despite ignoring the chance to move to China last week.

A return to Goodison Park has been mooted in the past and Koeman appears to have given his blessing to Rooney’s arrival for the first time since they sold him to United back in 2004.

“I believe that Wayne Rooney is still playing at a high level,” Koeman told Sky Sports. “I think he made a good choice to stay at Manchester United and in the Premier League because he has still two or three years in front of him to play on a high level.

“What will happen at the end of the season? I don’t know but in my opinion he is one of the players who can make Everton more stronger. It’s all about what the player likes, what Manchester United needs to do, and we are not involved in that project. But every player that we at Everton think can make the team stronger is welcome to Everton.”

Rooney has only started eight games in the Premier League this season and was an unused substitute in their 3-2 win over Southampton in the EFL Cup final on Sunday.

Despite the fact he has struggled for game time under Mourinho, Rooney has still played a part in seven goals in 17 league appearances and overtook Sir Bobby Charlton to become the club’s all-time record goalscorer last month.

For more stats on Wayne Rooney, click here to visit his WhoScored player page