English clubs were being bought by billionaires, the gap between the elite and the rest of the league was beginning to widen, Everton had Moyes, Big Dunc, and our savior in the form of a 16 year old Wayne Rooney. When he left for higher prospects the hearts of all Evertonian’s were shattered, but even in his leave he would save us.
Manchester United paid £25.6 million which was an outrageous amount of money for an 18 year old in 2005. That money would prove to be vital in keeping the club afloat, Everton were one of the poorest clubs in the Premier League. In the 2013/14 season Everton finished 5th in what would be considered the greatest season of the Premier League era, however typical of Everton we still only finished 7th in the total earnings for that season; which was at the time the peak of our earnings by a significant amount. Up until very recently, Everton had become accustomed to struggling financially, selling Rooney was necessary.
I have never seen anyone demonstrate respect for another person via playing football as much as Davies does with Barkley, if Everton signed Rooney then we would see this same respect come from everyone on the pitch, not just the academy graduate.
Related Story: How we should treat Tom Davies
To Lukaku, the experience of being around a world class striker who has won the chamions league and 5 League titles will be priceless. After Everton acquired Eto’o you could see a clear difference in Lukaku, he was learning. This would happen again only this time magnified, by the fact that it is a club legend and one of the all time greats of English football.
The effect he would have on Barkley, Davies and any of the other youth players who will graduate from the academy over the coming years needs no explanation, it would be a dream education at worst and career defining at best.
Rooney joining Everton may take chances away from the likes of Calvert-Lewin or Lookman, but the way I see it, is that he will give something so much more valuable to them by being around the club. He would teach them by example what it means and what it requires to play for Everton, and they would listen, because at the age of 17 he would have blown them all out of the water.
Come home, Rooney.
Up the Ev.