Wayne Rooney Turned Down Lucrative China Move

Former England international Wayne Rooney has revealed that he has knocked back advances from several Chinese Super League clubs in order to make his comeback with boyhood club Everton. The 32-year-old has been more of a squad player during his final season at Manchester United, and it became clear that he would be moving on amid interest from MLS and China.

The Champions League winner could have raked in a huge salary by pursuing a move to the Far East, but he rather opted to stay put in the Premier League with the chance to perform under pressure for the Toffees, he told BBC Football Focus: “In the summer when I was leaving Manchester United it would have been quite easy for me to go abroad. Go to China, go somewhere else and pick up a lot of money and see out the last few years of my career earning a lot of money. That's just not me. I need those goals, I need that pressure. That desire to play would have been lost if I'd chosen that other option.”

Since his free transfer last summer, Rooney has transformed into a crucial player for the Merseyside outfit, and he has 11 goals to his name this season, 10 of which have come in the top-flight. Everton may have not progressed the way Rooney would have hoped after their summer spending, but their intentions are pretty clear as they seek to enhance their chances of European football in the future.
The Toffees spent nearly £200m to bolster their squad over the course of the summer and winter transfer windows, and their focus is now likely to lie on finding a new head coach for next season with Sam Allardyce having not done enough to convince the hierarchy that he is the right man for the job in the long-run.