Wayne Rooney is in advanced talks with Everton about rejoining his boyhood team with the move centring on the club matching the £250,000-a-week (€285,000) basic salary he earns at Manchester United.
Rooney has a year left on his contract and is intent on having his wage matched. The 31-year-old has previously stated Everton are the only Premier League side he would leave United for and they believe this strengthens their position. Rooney’s only other option appears to be a move to Major League Soccer, where he would not earn as much, with interest from China fading.
United, who fly to Los Angeles on Sunday to start their five-match tour of America, could demand a transfer fee from Everton, yet because Rooney’s salary costs a minimum of £13 million (€14.8m) a year and this would be removed from the books, Ed Woodward, the executive vice-chairman, may decide to waive any sum or agree a reduced amount.
If Rooney does depart it will close a 13-year spell at United that has been supremely successful. The striker signed from Everton in August 2004 and has since won five Premier Leagues, the Champions League, the FA Cup, three League Cups and the Europa League. He is also United’s record scorer with 253 goals.
Committed his future
Lionel Messi has agreed a four-year contract extension which will keep him at Barcelona until the summer of 2021.
The 30-year-old had been tentatively linked with Premier League sides this summer but has committed his future to the club he joined at the age of 13. The Spanish newspaper Marca reported the contract contains a release clause of €300 million.
A statement released on the club’s website said: “Barcelona and Leo Messi have agreed on a contract renewal that will keep the Argentinian at the club until June 30th, 2021. The deal will be signed in the coming weeks when Messi returns to the team for pre-season training.”
The statement added: “The club is very happy with both the renewal and the commitment of Messi, the best player in history, who has played his full professional career at Barça and has led the team to an era of extraordinary success, the likes of which has never been seen in world football.”
Since making his debut in 2004 at the age of 17, Messi has won eight league titles, four Champions League and four Copa del Rey cups. Messi has also won the Ballon d’Or, the award for the world’s best footballer, on five occasions.
Messi is Barcelona’s record goalscorer with 507 goals in 583 matches and is also the highest scorer in La Liga’s history with 349 goals.
Alexandre Lacazette has joined Arsenal in a club record €60 million deal and signed a five-year contract with the Premier League side.
The France striker completed his medical on Tuesday after being given permission to travel to London by the Lyon president, Jean-Michel Aulas. Arsenal’s opening offer of €35 million was rejected last week. The fee surpasses the £42.5 million Arsenal paid Real Madrid for Mesut Özil in 2013. Guardian Service
