Manchester United knew Wayne Rooney would be a surefire hit when he signed in 2004. Sir Alex Ferguson was more confident than anybody.
Back in 2004, Manchester United swooped on England’s boy wonder Wayne Rooney, paying a fee totalling £27 million for his services.
The transfer fee repaid itself several times over, with Rooney going on to win the Champions League with United, and five Premier League titles.
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The move came after United had finished in an unusually low third position in 2003/04. Even with winning the FA Cup, it was clear the Red Devils needed to make some moves.
Signing Wayne Rooney was a statement of intent, and a transfer that Sir Alex Ferguson believed was a guarantee for future success. He wasn’t wrong.
Sir Alex Ferguson and Wayne Rooney in 2004 at Manchester United Press Conference
Photo by John Peters/Manchester United via Getty Images
Sir Alex Ferguson’s Wayne Rooney press conference
Manchester United swooped to sign Wayne Rooney after his spectacular performances for England at Euro 2004, with the deal going through on deadline day.
Rooney was just 18 at the time, and made his name with Everton where he struck 17 first team goals.
The move was a record fee for a teenager, and one that Sir Alex Ferguson hoped would inspire a new era of success for the club, having signed Cristiano Ronaldo a year earlier.
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Ronaldo was a promising talent, but Rooney already looked like he was ready at 18, which he demonstrated on his debut, with a hat-trick in the Champions League.
Speaking at Rooney’s introductory press conference, Sir Alex Ferguson gave the biggest possible endorsement of the player, by predicting he could have an Eric Cantona effect on the club.
Ferguson said: “I can see Wayne having the same impact as Eric Cantona had on the team when I signed him.
“I am very excited. We have got the best young player this country has seen in the past 30 years.
“Wayne is not the finished article yet, but he is a fantastic talent and he proved that at Euro 2004. He has marvellous potential.”
Ferguson had not expected Rooney to be available, but after Everton began negotiating with Newcastle, he knew Manchester United had to move.
He explained: “The vibes I was getting from David Moyes at the end of last season were that he wasn’t for sale.
“But once we knew Everton were talking to another club, we had to do something. I think it was a case that Manchester United could not afford to miss out on him.”
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Ferguson went on to reveal how Manchester United had been tracking Rooney for years, after watching him against the Red Devils’ youth teams.
He said: “I’ve known his potential for a long time, but the way he has played in the last three years has been phenomenal
“I got a call from our staff saying they’d seen a player and I should do something about it.
“He didn’t want to leave Everton, but we showed interest even then, at 14.”
Assessing how Wayne Rooney lived up to Ferguson’s expectation
Eric Cantona was a totally unique figure who lifted United to win a first league title in three decades in the early 90s, launching an era of success.
Rooney proved to be the catalyst for the next chapter. It took until the 2006/07 season to win his first title, and United went on to win three in a row.
During this time Rooney and United won the Champions League and the Club World Cup, and he went on to win two more league titles and reach two more Champions League Finals.
🔴 Manchester United Top 5 All-Time Goalscorers
Rank Player Total Goals Appearances
1 Wayne Rooney 253 559
2 Sir Bobby Charlton 249 758
3 Denis Law 237 404
4 Jack Rowley 211 424
5 Dennis Viollet 179 293
5 George Best 179 470
*Dennis Viollet and George Best are officially tied for 5th place with 179 goals each.
Rooney’s greatest achievement was his scoring record. He eclipsed Sir Bobby Charlton’s long-standing feat, to become Manchester United’s highest ever scorer.
In a career at the club spanning from 2004 to 2017, Rooney earned his place in the pantheon of Manchester United legends.
Sir Alex Ferguson’s trust and high hopes were well placed. And Rooney deserves immense credit. Bold forecasts and predictions are often a burden that young players cannot live up to.
Rooney was the exception. He took Ferguson’s prediction, and ran with it. Some could argue he even exceeded it.