Romelu Lukaku Reveals Desire to Play Alongside Wayne Rooney, Under Jose Mourinho

Any Everton fan asked to form a dream lineup of Toffees past and present might be liable to pick Romelu Lukaku and Wayne Rooney as their strikers, and it turns out the Belgium international has similar ideas.

In an interview with Belgian magazine Le Vif, Lukaku nominated Manchester United and England captain Rooney as the man he'd most like to have as an attacking partner (via Daily Star's Colin Harvey):

"

Wayne Rooney. He really is a good footballer. He's good in the air and knows where the goal is. 

We've often played against each other, and nearly played together during Duncan Ferguson's testimonial. 

Unfortunately, I managed to injure myself and had to pull out. I still regret it to this day.

"

Some Everton supporters may well envision the same dream duo leading their line, while others may harbour a bit more resentment toward the departed Rooney, who left Goodison Park in 2004 at the age of 18.

Slightly more worrying for Everton fans is the fact Lukaku still appears to hold former Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho in high regard, pitching the Portuguese as the top manager he'd like to play under, per Metro's Will Giles: "Mourinho is one. Guardiola and Wenger. In that order."

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Only the player himself will know if current mentor Roberto Martinez was even in the running, but it could be interpreted Lukaku may not be content with remaining at his current level in the long term.

Unless Rooney is planning on making an unlikely return to his Merseyside roots in the near future, it seems improbable Lukaku's vision will ever be realised, that is unless he makes the move to Old Trafford.

But Everton would be remiss to let the 22-year-old leave their ranks in his current form, having netted a match-winning brace against West Bromwich Albion on Monday to bring this season's tally to six goals in nine games.

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There appears to be something of a trend among Belgian strikers opening up on their deepest desires this week, too. Liverpool's Christian Benteke told Belgian Sport Magazine he'd also lead a Mourinho or Guardiola team (h/t the Daily Star's Rhys Turrell).

"Jose Mourinho and [Bayern Munich boss] Pep Guardiola," Benteke said. "Not only because of their achievements: They have won everything. Their approach is completely different and it is also why I would like to work with both."

Of the three managers Lukaku mentions, Wenger would stand out as the tactician most ready to offer first-team minutes after seeing Theo Walcott leap above Olivier Giroud in the pecking order this season.

Like Rooney before him, Lukaku has been regarded as a prodigious talent dating back to his days at Anderlecht, and Daniel Storey of Football365 suggested he could even be a superior scoring talent to his Everton predecessor:

Fortunately for Martinez and the rest of Goodison Park, the chances of Lukaku leaving to join Rooney elsewhere look slim at best, and the odds of the latter joining him back on Merseyside are even smaller.

That being said, Duncan Ferguson's testimonial isn't likely to be the last of its kind, giving the Toffees' leading man some hope of one day linking up alongside a former club great in the years to come.