Paul Gascoigne Jokes That Manchester United Striker Wayne Rooney Owes Him £40

Former England international Paul Gascoigne has joked that Wayne Rooney owes him £40 and he intends to call in the debt if the Manchester United striker breaks the England scoring record. 

Rooney took his international tally to 46 goals after his recent double against Scotland, leaving him just three behind record-holder Bobby Charlton.

Now Gazza has revealed that he once gave a 14-year-old Rooney £40 and will ask for it back, in an entertaining interview in The Sun (subscription required).

Gascoigne gave Rooney the money after watching the young Rooney score twice for Everton against much older players in an U21 match, the second of which Gazza described as "incredible." 

He told the paper: 

"

If he breaks the (England) record, I’ll write him a letter and tell him I want that £40 back he owes me.

(After the U21 game) I went into the dressing room and said to him, 'Well done, mate, that was a great goal. You’re going to be a great player.'

I had £40 on me at the time and was always giving money to apprentices because they didn’t earn much. I asked, 'Anyone want this money?'

Rooney said ‘I’ll have it’ and joked, 'I’m going to have a pint later’ and we laughed and I thought ‘you’re going to make it'.

 

"

On a more serious note, Gascoigne has spoken of his immense thanks for Rooney in the past, after the United striker helped to pay for a spell in rehab for Gascoigne, who has been battling alcoholism for a number of years. 

[The Sun]