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Everton Chairman Bill Kenwright is nothing if not positive. He is lifelong Evertonian who bleeds blue and has nothing but love for his boyhood club. But perhaps he was maybe a bit too positive during an interview with BBC Radio 5. When asked if he could see Wayne Rooney returning to Everton to finish out his career, he answered, "Yes".
Is it possible that Rooney would want to return to the club he started his career at after his time at Manchester United is done? Absolutely. Is it going to happen? I certainly doubt it. Since leaving Everton for Old Trafford, Rooney has gone on to win five Premier League titles, one UEFA Champions League title and two League Cups. Sorry, didn't mean to rub it in. He has also been a mainstay in the Red Devil's starting line-up for a decade. Rooney may have some affinity for Everton, but I seriously doubt that manifests itself in him coming back to Goodison.
Rooney's contract runs until 2019 meaning he would be 34 by the time he would be able to join Everton, and while that may not be very old, it would likely require a decent contractual commitment to a player that would likely be well past his prime. Also he's making around £300,000 a week on his current deal and I don't see him being to keen on much of a pay cut.
It's of course silly to even discuss any potential contract details, or even when Rooney's contract is expiring because it is incredibly unlikely that he would ever join Everton again. Contracts aside, Rooney hasn't always been the greatest teammate and I can't imagine that Roberto Martinez would want Rooney potentially messing up what he is trying to build here.
If anything, this is a fun little possibility to think about. Wayne Rooney returns home and leads Everton to glory. But I don't see it as anything more than a pipe dream. Plus, we have our own young up-and-comers to be excited about. Players like Ross Barkley, Romelu Lukaku and James McCarthy. I for one am looking more towards the future as opposed to the past and dreaming about what could have been.