5 players who have returned to their former clubs this summer

#1 Wayne Rooney

Rooney could prove to be a valuable asset to Ronald Koeman's side

Not very long ago, Wayne Rooney was an untouchable figure at the Old Trafford. He had been a critical figure under the regime of Sir Alex Ferguson, scoring a bagful of goals every season and even managed to hold the club to a ransom when he wanted better terms on his contract. He was virtually untouchable at the club until Louis Van Gaal was appointed as the manager of the club.

It was the Dutch manager who presented the clubs’ fans with a team without Wazza and began to play him in numerous positions to bring out the best in him while many believed that Rooney was past his prime. It was the appointment of Jose Mourinho that truly proved to be the final nail in the coffin for the Englishman’s career at Old Trafford. The player spent a lot of time on the bench in the last season and it was becoming evident that his future lied elsewhere.

Cut to the present and Wayne Rooney has already rejoined his boyhood club Everton on a free transfer - despite having two years left on his contract at Manchester United - on a two-year contract. The boy who lit up the Premier League with his electric performances as a teenager before moving on to the greener pastures now has to prove his mettle yet again at a club where he learnt the tricks of the trade.

At 31 years of age, Rooney is not all that old for a footballer and his goal scoring instincts are largely intact and these traits would benefit Everton immensely. Add to that the experience he brings to Ronald Koeman’s side and Rooney could prove extremely critical to Everton’s fortunes during his time at Goodison Park. We just hope that the England captain can put the troubles of the last few seasons behind him and regain the spark that made him a feared name throughout the globe.