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Man Utd icon reveals transfer recommendation he failed to convince Ed Woodward to sign off
Idrissa Gueye was recommended to Manchester United.
Wayne Rooney brought ‘excitement’ to Man Utd says pundit
Wayne Rooney told Manchester United chiefs to sign then-Everton star Idrissa Gueye shortly after he returned to Goodison Park. The Croxteth-born superstar re-joined Everton in 2017 on a free transfer after 13 trophy-laden seasons at Old Trafford.
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Rooney is Manchester United's all-time leading scorer having bagged 253 goals and provided 146 assists in 559 appearances for the club.
The 34-year-old, now a player-coach with Championship Derby, won 16 major trophies at Old Trafford, including five Premier Leagues, the FA Cup and the Champions League title.
Rooney returned to his boyhood club when his contract expired on a free transfer in 2017 and helped them an eighth-place finish - chipping in with 11 goals in all competitions.
But despite playing in blue, Rooney still had some advice for the Red Devils.
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He asked United to sign Senegal international Gueye having played alongside him for a month but failed to convince the executives to submit an offer.
"Everyone talks about his tackling and energy," Rooney wrote in his column for The Times.
"But what surprised me was his quality on the ball — he always looked to play it forward and to your feet.
"After a month playing with him, I spoke to people at Manchester United saying he was good enough for them. I wasn't shocked when Paris Saint-Germain signed him."
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Gueye, 30, joined French heavyweights last summer and immediately helped the Parisians to a Ligue 1 title in his debut campaign.
Rooney went on to discuss another former colleague in Marouane Fellaini, who left Everton for United in 2013.
"He was an absolute handful. He didn't mean to, but he'd always catch you with a knee or elbow; he scored goals, was always threatening and never got the credit he deserved," Rooney said.
"He was such a nice person and when he was getting stick at Manchester United it was hard for him. I admired the character he showed to get through that and win fans around a bit."