Wayne Rooney Reveals Why He Snubbed a Lucrative Move Abroad in Favour of Everton Return

Wayne Rooney has revealed that he chose to return to Everton over securing a lucrative move abroad because he wanted to embrace the 'pressure' which was awaiting him upon his return to Goodison Park. 

The former Manchester United striker returned to his boyhood club after a 13-year absence by signing a two-year deal last summer as he discarded the easy option of a big-money move tabled from the likes of the Chinese Super League. 

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"That's not me, I need those goals, I need that pressure. That desire to play would have been lost if I'd chosen that other option," Rooney told BBC's Football Focus. 

"I knew that coming back to Everton was more pressure - that's what I wanted. I wanted to prove myself again to the Everton fans and to try to help this club move forward and win silverware.

"I think it was the perfect fit for me and hopefully in the next two or three years we can do that."

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Rooney's spell at United was littered with success, the striker scored over 250 goals for the club in over 550 appearances as he helped lead the club to five Premier League titles and a Champions League triumph - just to mention a few. 

However, having retired from international football last year Rooney is aware of the need to preserve his fitness as his body grows older, and he believes a move back into midfield has allowed him to manage his body in order to maintain a high level of form.

He added: "The one thing which stays is my attitude to playing, my attitude to win, but of course you change and adapt your game and that's what I feel I've done over the last few years.

"Two years ago, I thought my best position to play was midfield, and that's starting to happen now."

"I've learnt that you can manage yourself in training, like Ryan did. He was there in every session but he managed it. You know when to run, when to make a 50-yard sprint and when not to. It's just having that awareness about yourself."

"I'm an honest player - if I feel I'm not good enough to play, I wouldn't put myself in that position where I'm hanging on and thinking I need to keep going and keep trying. If I'm not good enough to be in the team then I'm honest enough to say that will be the time to finish playing," he added.