In the early years, Wayne Rooney burst noughties on stage for Everton and England and almost sealed a move to Newcastle United before he was influenced by a teammate
Wayne Rooney was about to move to Newcastle in 2004 before an Everton teammate encouraged him to sign for Manchester United instead. Rooney quickly commented on Premier League football after breaking the first team of Toffees, just 16 years old during the 2002/03 season.
His excellent versions in Goodison Park in two seasons established him as one of the brightest talents in England and thereby caught the attention of rival clubs. After his stellar impressions for England on Euro 2004, the legendary Red Devil's boss Sir Alex Ferguson decided to sign the young person.
Rooney made the switch to United for a fee of £ 25.6 million, which started a legendary career at Old Trafford, where he not only broke the record as the leading target schedule of the club, but also five competition titles.
But according to his former Everton captain Duncan Ferguson, the teenager could have been easily signed for Newcastle instead -a decision that might have drastically changed his career trajectory.
Ferguson said on the stick to football podcast, brought by Sky Bet: “He would go to Newcastle and I advised him against that movement before he went to Manchester United. I told him that Newcastle was a great club, but if United and Sir Alex Fergus want you, you want you better.”
The Scot also thought about his relationship with Rooney at the time and said: “Alan [Shearer] And Wayne were the best strikers with whom I played. Wayne was only young then, but you could see where he would go – he was a top player.
“I tried to avoid Wayne – he was younger than me, and he looked up at me as if I was his hero. I was afraid that I was not the best role model – he is the greatest talent in Britain – and if he got into trouble, I would be blamed.”
Rooney eventually made a nostalgic return to Everton in 2017 after a shimmering career at United and scored 10 goals in 31 performances during his few season back in Goodison Park. Rooney previously remembered his switch to United and explained: “I knew it [joining United] Was an option for Euro 2004. I knew that Manchester United wanted to sign me.
“I think going to the euros and doing well, there probably added some more money to the transfer costs, but I broke my foot and discovered a few things. Everton was really struggling at that time and I found out that they also listened to offers from people.
“They tried to push me to draw for Chelsea because they were going to pay the most money. But when I knew that United was interested, I wanted a confirmation that they wanted to sign me.
“It was 40 minutes from my house, where I grew up and it was perfect for me. United actually wanted to wait a year until the following year, but then Newcastle came to conversation with Everton and myself.
“I had gone too far at the time. I could not wait another year, I could not stay with Everton for another year, so I was willing to go to Newcastle that year. I spoke to them, we spoke about salary and what I wanted if I went there was after a year, when Manchester United came in, you have to let me go.
“Newcastle agreed, but clearly, with United, I went back to them and said: if you don't do it now, I go to Newcastle with a clause in place.
“United clearly did not want me to go there, so I came here. It was actually what Newcastle paid for me, United would have paid a year later.”
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