Manchester United’s all-time record goalscorer Wayne Rooney took a massive pay-cut to re-join his boyhood club Everton over the summer.
Belgian striker Romelu Lukaku went in the other direction, joining the Red Devils in a reported £75m deal.
The 31-year-old former Man United club captain spent 13 years at Old Trafford, winning five Premier League titles, one FA Cup, three League Cups and one Champions League.
Rooney scored 253 goals in 559 appearances in all competitions for Manchester United, surpassing Sir Bobby Charlton’s 249-goal haul.
He began the season in fine form for Everton, scoring in each of the opening two Premier League games of the season.
The Blues have since struggled and some sections of Goodison Park are calling for Ronald Koeman to drop England’s all-time leading goalscorer.
On Sunday, Rooney scored a 90th minute equaliser from the penalty spot to secure a point against newly-promoted Brighton.
“It’s 1-0 down in a difficult situation and the team need points,” said Koeman. “If you keep your calmness in these types of situations that is experience and world class.”
Rooney, who had two years remaining on his deal at Old Trafford, joined Everton on a free transfer but it has emerged that he was given a massive pay-off to move elsewhere.
Wazza’s big payday
According to The Sun, Manchester United paid Rooney £10m to accept Everton’s offer.
It made sense financially, as his salary plus loyalty bonuses over the next two years would’ve cost Manchester United a whopping £41m.
Used sparingly by Jose Mourinho last season, Rooney was the biggest earner at the club on a reported £300,000 per week.
His replacement, Lukaku, has fitted in seamlessly at Old Trafford, scoring seven goals in the opening seven games of the season.
The 24-year-old Belgian striker struggled in the 0-0 stalemate at Liverpool abd yet again managed to get a header that hit the upper bar of the post in the Reds visit Benfica in the Champions League on Wednesday night.
Everton are down in 16th and Koeman is under huge pressure to turn it around quickly – or he’ll be shown the exit door.