Midfielder Morgan Schneiderlin has said that Wayne Rooney’s return to Everton will mean that the striker will enjoy his football once again.
The 27-year-old defensive midfielder played alongside Rooney during his one and a half seasons with at Manchester United, and believes the 31-year-old will help the Toffees to win trophies next season.
Schneiderlin made the initial transfer to United from Southampton in the summer of 2015 before he moved to Goodison Park in January this year for nearly £20 million.
The Frenchman has made a total of 14 appearances for the Merseyside club and netted one goal for the Toffees during the club’s 3-0 home victory over West Brom in the Premier League.
The Everton midfielder has said that Rooney will be able to find the joy in football again and revealed how the United record scorer was so delighted to return to Everton.
Speaking during an exclusive interview with the club, Schneiderlin was quoted on the official Everton website: “He is someone who just needs to find the joy to play football again week in and week out, like was the case with me. Hopefully he will do that and find his rhythm.”
The former Southampton star also mentioned how happy Rooney was when he arrived at the Finch Farm training complex: “You could see on his face when he arrived at the training ground, when he started training, he’s happy again and he will enjoy his football again.”
Schneiderlin also stated that his team mates were delighted to have Rooney at the club and told the website: “He has achieved so much in his career, he’s scored so many goals and he’s a legend in the English game, so we are very happy to have him and very happy to have his personality around the football club.
“Hopefully he will help us to win things because that’s the main target for us.”
Rooney initially began his career at the Everton academy before climbing the ranks and moving to Old Trafford in 2004.
The England international then spent 13 years with the Premier League giants where he scored 253 goals during a total of 559 appearances across all competitions.
Rooney rejoined his boyhood club at the beginning of July and joins Ronald Koeman’s other five signings which includes Sandro Ramirez, Jordan Pickford, Michael Keane, Henry Onyekuru and Davy Klaassen.