Post by Airboy^ on Jul 11, 2004 17:11:56 GMT 1
Thoughts, anyone?
From AOL Sport:
After hitting the headlines at Euro 2004, 18-year-old rising star Wayne Rooney is being linked with a move to Real Madrid, Manchester United or Chelsea.
Everton says it will offer him a lucrative new contract to stay but can David Moyes' team, which struggled to avoid relegation last season, resist a huge transfer fee?
"The club have made him a terrific offer and I'm pleased the club have really pushed the boat out and, for an 18-year-old player, it's a good deal," Moyes said on Saturday.
"He's got two years to go on his contract and we'd like to extend it and make it five years. Hopefully Wayne and his advisers feel that this is the right place for his continued development."
Everton fans would hate to see Rooney leave Goodison Park, especially to go to one of their rivals.
But transfer income of something like 50 million pounds (US$90 million) would help Moyes strengthen his squad so that the team might challenge for honors in the upcoming season rather than face another relegation battle.
Born and raised in Liverpool, Rooney is with the club he supported as a boy. The club and his parents have closely guarded his career so far with Moyes doing his best to shelter him from the media and avoiding burnout on the field.
But the Everton manager could do nothing to stop Rooney making a big name for himself at the European Championship in Portugal where his performances became the biggest talking point.
Rooney, who has been scoring goals in the top flight of English and international soccer since he was 16, hit two in England's 3-0 beating of Switzerland and two more in a 4-2 victory over Croatia.
And they weren't tap-ins. He showed the shooting power reminiscent of Manchester United star Bobby Charlton and he was able to shrug off defenders with his powerful build.
Rooney was unlucky to limp out of the championship in England's quarterfinal loss to Portugal and will be out of action for six more weeks with a broken bone in his feet.
In the meantime, all the headlines are about his future.
He was quickly linked with moneybags Chelsea which has the financial power to buy virtually anyone thanks to the millions of owner Roman Abramovich.
The papers said that Manchester United also was interested and might take advantage of the fact that he would prefer to stay close to his home in northwest England.
But chief executive David Gill and director and United soccer great Bobby Charlton were cool on the idea.
"Wayne Rooney is a great player, but he's not our player," Charlton told Manchester United TV.
"I think he's quite happy at Everton and I don't see any reason why he shouldn't stay there. David Gill has already said that Wayne is not for us. We have long-term plans and we are a bit careful, we don't just throw money away."
Rooney may not have reached "galactico" status yet but he could become a summer signing for Real Madrid.
Florentino Perez and Arturo Baldesano, two candidates for the presidency of the Spanish soccer giant, have both suggested they would try and sign the English teenager if new coach Jose Antonio Camacho wanted to add the 18-year-old to his current list of stars.
"He is a very good player but I haven't spoken to Camacho about questions like this," Perez told the Spanish media.
The presidential election takes place on Sunday with Perez and Baldesano up against former president Lorenzo Sanz, who signed four of the world-famous "galacticos" - David Beckham, Ronaldo and Zinedine Zidane and Luis Figo.
"Rooney has shown in Euro 2004 that at 18 years old he is a splendid player and that he is mature enough to develop both physically and mentally in order to become the most important player in the world," Baldesano said.
"If Camacho tells me he would like Rooney, I will do my best to sign him."
From AOL Sport:
After hitting the headlines at Euro 2004, 18-year-old rising star Wayne Rooney is being linked with a move to Real Madrid, Manchester United or Chelsea.
Everton says it will offer him a lucrative new contract to stay but can David Moyes' team, which struggled to avoid relegation last season, resist a huge transfer fee?
"The club have made him a terrific offer and I'm pleased the club have really pushed the boat out and, for an 18-year-old player, it's a good deal," Moyes said on Saturday.
"He's got two years to go on his contract and we'd like to extend it and make it five years. Hopefully Wayne and his advisers feel that this is the right place for his continued development."
Everton fans would hate to see Rooney leave Goodison Park, especially to go to one of their rivals.
But transfer income of something like 50 million pounds (US$90 million) would help Moyes strengthen his squad so that the team might challenge for honors in the upcoming season rather than face another relegation battle.
Born and raised in Liverpool, Rooney is with the club he supported as a boy. The club and his parents have closely guarded his career so far with Moyes doing his best to shelter him from the media and avoiding burnout on the field.
But the Everton manager could do nothing to stop Rooney making a big name for himself at the European Championship in Portugal where his performances became the biggest talking point.
Rooney, who has been scoring goals in the top flight of English and international soccer since he was 16, hit two in England's 3-0 beating of Switzerland and two more in a 4-2 victory over Croatia.
And they weren't tap-ins. He showed the shooting power reminiscent of Manchester United star Bobby Charlton and he was able to shrug off defenders with his powerful build.
Rooney was unlucky to limp out of the championship in England's quarterfinal loss to Portugal and will be out of action for six more weeks with a broken bone in his feet.
In the meantime, all the headlines are about his future.
He was quickly linked with moneybags Chelsea which has the financial power to buy virtually anyone thanks to the millions of owner Roman Abramovich.
The papers said that Manchester United also was interested and might take advantage of the fact that he would prefer to stay close to his home in northwest England.
But chief executive David Gill and director and United soccer great Bobby Charlton were cool on the idea.
"Wayne Rooney is a great player, but he's not our player," Charlton told Manchester United TV.
"I think he's quite happy at Everton and I don't see any reason why he shouldn't stay there. David Gill has already said that Wayne is not for us. We have long-term plans and we are a bit careful, we don't just throw money away."
Rooney may not have reached "galactico" status yet but he could become a summer signing for Real Madrid.
Florentino Perez and Arturo Baldesano, two candidates for the presidency of the Spanish soccer giant, have both suggested they would try and sign the English teenager if new coach Jose Antonio Camacho wanted to add the 18-year-old to his current list of stars.
"He is a very good player but I haven't spoken to Camacho about questions like this," Perez told the Spanish media.
The presidential election takes place on Sunday with Perez and Baldesano up against former president Lorenzo Sanz, who signed four of the world-famous "galacticos" - David Beckham, Ronaldo and Zinedine Zidane and Luis Figo.
"Rooney has shown in Euro 2004 that at 18 years old he is a splendid player and that he is mature enough to develop both physically and mentally in order to become the most important player in the world," Baldesano said.
"If Camacho tells me he would like Rooney, I will do my best to sign him."
So that may add to the likelihood of his departure for Man Utd. I don't think it was his decision to talk to the Sun, he was probably poorly advised! 
all the biggest players shouldn't be moving to the same clubs...
