Manchester United manager, Jose Mourinho says he felt emotional when Wayne Rooney departed Old Trafford to return to boyhood club, Everton.
Wayne Rooney ended his trophy laden 13 years stay at Manchester United last month by moving back to boyhood club Everton, with Romelu Lukaku moving the opposite direction.
With just 25 Premier League appearances for United last season, 10 of which he started from the bench, Mourinho noted that it’s in Rooney’s best interest to leave the club for more playing time, but admits missing the 31-year-old striker: “I miss him a lot,”
“I think he’s a fantastic guy. I’m not the kind of guy that gets normally emotional in my job and I did it with him when he left.” Mourinho said
253 – Wayne Rooney departs Manchester United as the club’s all-time record goalscorer, with 253 goals in all competitions. Emotional. pic.twitter.com/maF54h0ssm
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) July 9, 2017
The Portuguese manager continued: “But I’m sure that he’s going to be very, very good for Everton and Everton is going to be very, very good for him,”
16 – In 2002, Wayne Rooney became the youngest player to score a @premierleague goal, netting for Everton vs Arsenal (16y 360d). Return. pic.twitter.com/Z36jOEj8TD
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) July 9, 2017
“It was not difficult because he deserves that, it’s not difficult. He deserves what he got and what he got was our desire for him to stay and our respect by letting it be completely clear that we would like him to stay.”
“And at the same time, the respect that allows him to be happy – allow him to try to play every game, every minute which honestly I think he needs.”
