Wayne Rooney has rejected an opportunity to return to his roots at Everton, with the current Derby boss revealing that he has turned down the offer of a managerial interview with the Toffees.
A successor to Rafa Benitez is being sought at Goodison Park, after the former Liverpool manager was relieved of his duties on January 16.
Club legend Rooney was immediately mooted as a leading candidate to take the reins on Merseyside, but the former England captain says he is fully committed to his role with the Rams.
Rooney told reporters when asked if he has been contacted by the Toffees: “Everton approached my agent and asked me to interview for the job.
“But I turned it down. I believe I will be a Premier League manager and I am ready for that 100 per cent. But I have a job at Derby, which is important to me.”
The Croxteth native graduated out of Everton’s academy system to make a stunning impact at senior level while still in his teens.
A memorable effort against Arsenal saw him open his Premier League goal account, with 17 efforts recorded through 77 appearances in an initial spell at Goodison Park.
Rooney left for Manchester United in 2004 and went on to spend 13 record-setting years at Old Trafford, becoming the Red Devils’ all-time leading goalscorer and a man with Premier League and Champions League winners’ medals to his name.
He headed back to Everton in 2017, but lasted just one season before moving to MLS and linking up with D.C. United.
Steps were retraced to England when joining Derby as a player-coach in 2019, with an appointment as the club’s permanent manager made in January 2021.
He has experienced a baptism of fire in professional management, with the Rams stung with a 21-point deduction this season as the club’s very existence hangs in the balance, but his stock has soared while pulling everybody through testing times and delivering positive results on the field.
With Rooney out of the running, the Toffees must now turn their attention elsewhere.
Duncan Ferguson has been placed in caretaker charge of the club for a second time and he could come into the reckoning for a full-time role if no alternative can be lined up and performances start to improve.
Frank Lampard has, however, emerged as a strong favourite to take over at Goodison Park, with another former England international looking to return to the dugout for the first time since being sacked by Chelsea in January 2021.