Premier League transfer updates
Wayne Rooney, Paul Pogba, Romulu Lukaku, Eric Dier, Ibra
Wayne Rooney, Everton
Superstar footballer Wayne Rooney will return to his former titan club Manchester United as club ambassador after he retires from Everton and hangs up his boots. Rooney arranged the deal when he signed his last contract extension with Manchester United in 2014. The mega-deal was designed to keep Rooney at Old Trafford until 2019. However, Rooney joined Everton last week on a free transfer after losing his place on Jose Mourinho’s starting side last campaign. His decision to leave the Red Devils to join the Toffees means United are no longer contracted to give him the ambassadorial position upon his retirement. Reportedly the Man United bosses will still give him the £100,000-a-year role as a reward for his massive contribution as top goal scorer and captain during his time at Old Trafford. It is interesting that Rooney, 31, joined United from his boyhood club the Toffees in 2004 and went on to become the Red Devils greatest goal-scorer of all time.
He scored 253 goals in 559 appearances as well as helping them earn five Premier League titles, one Champions League crown, three League Cups and one FA Cup. Going full circle, Rooney has joined Everton manager Ronald Koeman’s side for the upcoming Premier League season. Manchester United executive vice chairman Ed Woodward remains a huge admirer of Rooney’s and wants to recognize what he has done for the club by making him an ambassador in the future joining Sir Bobby Charlton, Sir Alex Ferguson and Nemanja Vidic who are also club ambassadors. The ambassador role involves traveling the world, promoting the Manchester United brand and helping drive the club’s commercial arm.
Wayne Rooney Stats
Rooney made his debut for Everton on August 17, 2002, aged 16 Scored against Arsenal on 19 October, making him the youngest goalscorer in English Premier League history -16 years, 360 days. Spent 2 campaigns on Everton’s first team at Goodison Park before joining Manchester United for £25.6m Rooney made his England debut against Australia on February 12, 2003, aged 17 years, 111 days – while still playing for Everton
Rooney's move to Everton is a positive one that gives Roo a chance to play more and score more goals, and hopefully, help Everton to earn a spot in the Champions League and potentially win the Premier League silverware. Rooney never lost his love for Everton and has some unfinished business to help his first club earn trophies. Wazza had only five league goals last season, and no doubt has the intention to score goals for the Toffees and reignite his career after a slow spell. Rooney made it clear the only Premier League club he wanted to play for apart from Manchester United was Everton. Now he has the chance to be part of a new era for Everton with the side aiming to land the club's first trophy since 1995. Rooney only had one full season as a first-team player at Everton. When he left for United, Rooney had to cope with many seasons of hostility when playing at Goodison Park. Fans were upset that Rooney who sported a "Once A Blue Always A Blue" T-shirt after scoring in the 2002 FA Youth Cup final against Aston Villa, left early. The cool relationship has thawed in recent years, with Rooney restating how much Everton means to him and even taking his family to games at the old Goodison Park. And when he recently signed on to wear an Everton shirt once again for ex-Toffees striker Duncan Ferguson's testimonial in 2015, he was very warmly received by chairman Bill Kenwright and by fans when his name was announced. The Everton fans may be split but if he starts performing well, they will forget the past hurts.
Koeman is determined to sign Swansea City's Gylfi Sigurdsson, despite his £40m price tag, with the aim of reaching the top four in the 2017-18 season, and even the Premier League title. "Over the next few years that is certainly the aim. Steps are being taken to hopefully achieve that in the future,” said Koeman. "Barring the miracle of Leicester City, it's usually achieved in slow steps. It's great to see Everton are on the ladder." Rooney said that being left out of Jose Mourinho's starting line-up last season was, "frustrating" but added he "hadn't gone stale."
Toffees’ boss Ronald Koeman said Rooney would be given an attacking position rather than a midfield role. The Dutchman has overseen spending of about £90m this summer, with the promise of more to come, and has challenged his new squad to deal with the void left by the departure of striker Romelu Lukaku. "We had a great striker like Romelu scoring 25 goals last season, but we needed more players with more productivity," he said. "The experience of Wayne is really important to bring over to the rest of the players. He is an example for the younger players. I think we have missed a player like Wayne to have that experience in the team. So far we are doing good business and you will see in the next weeks, maybe we will do more. It's still too soon to talk about top four but we need to continue what we did last season and every club is trying to get good players," said Koeman. "If you want to win trophies, you have to like pressure. We have to get the type of players in who are used to that pressure. When Wayne and I spoke it was about ambition. He showed me in that meeting that he likes the pressure. We will have more pressure this season than last. Some players need pressure to get the most out of themselves. The qualities and ambition he showed me meant it was enough for me."
Rooney believes that if he performs well for Everton with his match-winning touch, he will gain his way back onto England manager Southgate's side. Rooney was not in the England squad for matches against France and Scotland and said he is "not focused" on England. "Hopefully the performances are good for Everton and they won't be able to ignore me." England's record goalscorer has not played international football since last November but feels he can give manager Gareth Southgate "a decision to make" by playing well. "I think I always play like I've got a point to prove," he said, at his first news conference since returning to Everton. "I'm ready to play and want to win. I am excited and I'm looking at a challenge. I think it's the right time in my career and I'm ready for it. It's all right saying we are here to win trophies, and of course, we want to. But it's on us as a football club to do that. That's why we have to make sure we do that."
Paul Pogba, Manchester United
After the departure of Wayne Rooney to Everton, Paul Pogba has been marked as the next permanent captain of United. Portuguese United manager Mourinho made Michael Carrick captain to replace Wayne Rooney this season, but the veteran midfielder may retire next summer. Record Red Devils signing Paul Pogba has impressed club bosses since leaving Juventus last summer in a stunning £90m deal and Mourinho has marked him down as the future leader of the team.
Ivan Perisic, Inter Milan
Manchester United are confident of signing Ivan Perisic in a £47m deal. United have been luring the Italian Serie A giant club Inter Milan winger since the end of the 2016-17 season but hit a wall in their negotiations with the Inter Milan holding out for £50m after rejecting two previous offers. However, Mourinho remains determined to hire the Croatia international, Perisic. United have agreed to increase their bid in an attempt to seal a deal before Inter Milan go to China on their pre-season tour. Reportedly Perisic left Inter’s training camp in Riscone di Brunico and returned to Croatia to sort out his personal affairs, after saying he has a toothache and asking for permission to visit his dentist. Perisic appears desperate to sign with United to play in the England Premier League. Inter boss Luciano Spalletti wants to keep him on his side, and ordered Perisic to join up with the rest of his squad for the pre-season training camp. However, Perisic made it clear that his heart was set on joining United. Spalletti, therefore, has instructed Inter bosses to sign Lazio’s Senegal international Keita Balde as Perisic’s replacement.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic
Reportedly Zlatan Ibrahimovic may return to Manchester United. Ibra has reportedly re-enrolled his sons Maximillian and Vincent in Manchester United’s academy. The former Sweden international joined Old Trafford in a free transfer switch from Paris St-Germain last summer. However, he missed out on the chance to star in Man United’s Europa League final win over Ajax because of a serious knee injury in April that required surgery in the US in May. The surgery left Ibrahimovic in need of a lengthy stint of rehabilitation. Therefore United were not prepared to offer him an extension to the initial one-year deal he signed last July. United boss Jose Mourinho has opened the door for Ibrahimovic to make a Red Devils return once he gets back to full fitness.
Romulu Lukaku, Manchester United
Former Manchester United hero Ryan Giggs sent a warning to Romelu Lukaku after his £75m transfer. Giggs forewarned recent Manchester United signing Romelu Lukaku on the pressure he will have to deal with as the main striker at Old Trafford. The high goal-scoring forward has made the switch from Everton in a deal worth £75m following the release of Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Giggs has told Lukaku he will need to develop a thick skin to handle the pressure at the club. “He will be under scrutiny that he's never had before at West Brom, or Chelsea, or Everton,” said Giggs. “The pressure will be on you. So he needs to develop a thick skin, he needs to listen to the coaches because that's all that counts really. And if he misses a chance, the next one that comes along he needs to put it away because, as a centre-forward at United, you're under scrutiny all the time. The pressure will be on you. So he needs to develop a thick skin. I think he will score goals, but you need goals from all over the park. “The pluses with Lukaku are obviously that he's played in the Premier League and Jose has worked with him before, and he's got friends,” continued Giggs. “He's friends with Paul Pogba, and that makes the transition that bit easier.” Last season Lukaku netted 25 goals for Everton. Jose Mourinho will hope the 24-year-old can replicate that performance as United challenges for the Premier League trophy and Champions League title.
Eric Dier, Tottenham Hotspur
Meanwhile Manchester United are plotting a massive £60m final “take-it-or-leave-it” offer for Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Eric Dier, after the Red Devils made a previous opening bid worth £40m that was refused by the Spurs. Mourinho is on the hunt for a defensive midfielder despite Michael Carrick extending his contract until 2018. Reportedly England international Dier has told close friends he’s excited about the possibility of working under Mourinho. Dier currently earns £70,000-a-week but could double his wages at United. Spurs’ chief Levy is determined to hold onto Dier after selling Kyle Walker to Manchester City. Dier has four years left on his contract at Spurs. Buy Premier League tickets to watch the live action this season. Tickets for Manchester United, Everton, and Tottenham Hotspur are for sale securely online now from the 1st4FootballTickets.com website.
