Wayne Rooney Return Reportedly Expected by Everton Amid Man United Transfer Talk

Wayne Rooney's potential move from Manchester United to Everton is reportedly "almost inevitable."

According to TalkSport, the Toffees are expecting to secure a deal for their former player, who left the club for the Red Devils in 2004. 

"Manchester United's record goalscorer is weighing up his future having fallen down the pecking order at Old Trafford following Jose Mourinho's arrival as manager," the report continued.

"Rooney has insisted he will not play for any other Premier League club but Everton—the team he supported as a youngster and with whom he made his professional debut—should he quit United."

Dean Jones believes a transfer for Rooney will be accelerated should Romelu Lukaku move to Chelsea:

"

Once Lukaku deal to Chelsea is sorted we'll most likely see this Rooney situation kick on https://t.co/zUj4RXFvBc

— Dean Jones (@DeanJonesBR) July 3, 2017"

As noted, Rooney struggled during the previous campaign, with Mourinho eventually dropping the United skipper after a poor start to the season.

Still, the season was a memorable one for the 31-year-old. Rooney lifted two trophies as club captain—the EFL Cup and the UEFA Europa League—and also broke United's all-time goalscoring record.

Clive Brunskill/Getty Images

The striker's time at Old Trafford looks like it may be up, though, with Marcus Rashford usurping him in the pecking order. In attacking midfield, Mourinho has Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Juan Mata, Paul Pogba and Anthony Martial to call upon.

A return to Everton would be one for the romantics. Ben Grounds of MailOnline suggested it's a switch that may reignite Rooney's career:

Rooney was a passionate Everton supporter as a youngster after all, and having settled into a comfort zone at United, a new challenge at his boyhood club would potentially be invigorating.

The Toffees are putting together a strong squad for next season. There are doubts as to whether Lukaku will remain at the club, but Jordan Pickford and Davy Klaassen have already signed, with Michael Keane and Sandro Ramirez expected to follow, per Chris Beesley of the Liverpool Echo.

Rooney, as a result, would be involved in an ambitious project if he were to make the switch to Goodison Park. The statistics suggest the forward can still have an impact in the final third too, per Squawka Football:

But the previous campaign was Rooney's toughest, as his touch, tenacity and explosiveness faded. At times it was difficult to watch the United No. 10, as he clogged up attacks and gave possession away frequently in the final third.

While a switch back to Everton could enliven Rooney, his decline has been drastic over the last 12 months. At the moment, he's at odds with the dynamic and youthful acquisitions the Toffees have made in the transfer window.