Wayne Rooney 'Can Make Everton Stronger,' Says Ronald Koeman Amid Latest Rumours

Everton manager Ronald Koeman has insisted Manchester United forward Wayne Rooney would be welcome back at this former club as he "can make Everton stronger."

Speculation has raged recently about the future of the 31-year-old, who has fallen down the pecking order at Old Trafford this season under Jose Mourinho.

Speaking to Sky Sports on Tuesday, Koeman voiced his belief that Rooney still has a lot to offer:

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He still has two or three years in front of him to play at the highest level. What will happen at the end of the season, I do not know? In my opinion he's one of the players who can make Everton stronger than they are now. 

It's all about what the players likes, what Manchester United need to do and we are not involved in that project. Every player who we feel can make the team stronger is welcome at Everton.

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Rooney was recently linked with a move to the Chinese Super League, although with the country's transfer window set to close on Tuesday, that switch is unlikely to materialise.

Also speaking to Sky Sports, Everton director of football Steve Walsh echoed the sentiments of the manager. 

"Rooney is one of the greatest players ever to play in England," he said. "For us not to be interested in him it would be wrong. If the opportunity arose for him to come back, and it sat right with everybody, then it's something we'd look at."

The Croxteth-born striker broke the hearts of Evertonians when he left for Manchester United at the age of 18 in 2004. However, after initial anger from the Toffees fanbase, tensions have ceased, with Rooney even donning the royal-blue shirt in Duncan Ferguson's testimonial in 2015.

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Plenty of that is due to the success Rooney has enjoyed at Old Trafford, which has vindicated his decision to move at such a young age. Should the England man leave in the summer he would do so as United's all-time record goalscorer, a Champions League victor and a five-time Premier League winner.

But at the moment the United captain feels like a disposable figure, having made just eight league starts in 2016-17. Even so, Daniel Taylor of the Guardian hailed Rooney's commitment to the collective:

That's something Koeman would hope to see Rooney bring to Everton. The Dutchman has integrated a lot of young players into his XI in the likes of Ross Barkley, Romelu Lukaku, Tom Davies, Mason Holgate and Ademola Lookman; having someone of the England international's experience around the club would potentially benefit their development.

Additionally, looking at Rooney himself, perhaps a move back to his boyhood club could stir something in him in the twilight of his career.

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The United man has settled into a comfort zone at Old Trafford over the last couple of years, which has been detrimental to his form. Donning the colours of his first football love and potentially firing them to future successes must be a stirring proposition.

Ell Bretland of the Daily Mail feels as though the deal would be a big statement on the part of the Toffees, too:

The intent on the part of Everton seems to be pretty clear in regards to Rooney, and although there are question marks as to how much of an impact he can have on the pitch at 31, if any stage is going to draw the best from him again it's Goodison Park.

Although United fans have fallen out of love with Rooney recently due to a string of poor performances this season and the emergence of a new hero in Zlatan Ibrahimovic, plenty will lament the departure of a club icon should he move on at the end of the season.