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Wayne Rooney joins Everton: I'm not coming to a retirement home

Wayne Rooney joins Everton: I'm not coming to a retirement home

Wayne Rooney joins Everton: I'm not coming to a retirement home

Wayne Rooney insists he still has a burning desire to win after joining Everton and is "not coming into a retirement home" at Goodison Park.

The former Manchester United captain has returned to Merseyside after 13 years with United and still feels he has a lot to offer at the age of 31.

Rooney revealed he had other options but a move back to Everton was the only one that interested him once manager Ronald Koeman made his interest clear.

"I always play like I have got a point to prove," Rooney said at a news conference Monday. "I'm not coming into a retirement home. I want to play, I want to win. It is a challenge I need at this point in my career.

"You play football to try to win trophies and of course that is the target. We don't want to just limp round in the season. I was at the FA Cup final in 1995. It would be a special moment to win a trophy at Everton.

"I know we have got the right man to lead us. A manager like Ronald and the career he's had, once I knew he was interested in bringing me back, it was really a no-brainer, it was where I wanted to come and play. There were other options there but once I knew Ronald wanted to bring me back, it was the only place I was going to be playing."



Rooney is hoping to hit the ground running as new-look Everton, which has also brought in Jordan Pickford, Michael Keane, Davy Klaassen and Sandro Ramirez, aims to build on last season's seventh-place Premier League finish.

"I don't feel fit at the minute but that will build up over the next few weeks," said Rooney. "It feels great to be back. I was excited this morning to go in and meet the lads and get going.

"It's an exciting time for myself and Everton. We are moving forward, signing the right players and we are all hoping this can be a very good year for us. We want to keep pushing and try to bring trophies to the club. It's what we all want."