In the early 2000s, Wayne Rooney was one of the hottest young talents in the game. With a wonder goal against Arsenal, he'd announced himself to the Premier League with Everton, but it wasn't long before the big clubs came sniffing around.
Two years after bursting onto the scene, he would join Manchester United in 2004. Over the next 13 seasons, the English youngster would develop into one of the Red Devils' best ever players. Winning every club trophy on offer, including the Champions League and five Premier League titles, Rooney will be remembered as a true legend of the modern era.
Although he always looked destined to move to a bigger club after breaking through with the Toffees, his exit did not happen without some hitches. There was notable tension between the Englishman and his former boss David Moyes.
Rooney Upset Moyes in His 2008 Autobiography
Everton boss sued him for libel
In 2008, Rooney would release his autobiography "My Story So Far." In the book, the young striker accused Moyes of leaking details of a private conversation regarding his plans to leave Everton. His ex-boss was furious with the claims and decided to sue Rooney for libel.
Speaking to Gary Neville on The Overlap years after the event, in 2024, Rooney went on the record to express his regret over the incident. He said:
"David Moyes was really good for me at Everton. He sued me after I left the club—I hammered him when I left because of how I felt at the time. I regret that. I spoke to him a few years after I left, I called him up and apologized because the older you get, you realize why he was doing things. It was new to him to have a player getting all those headlines, for him to figure out. He was a young manager at the time, it was new to him.
"When I look back, he was good for me, he was constantly on me. He was trying to not let me think that I was better than I was. I was a handful in my youth. In the indoor gym, I was launching rockets from one end to the other. Moysey walked in when I was just 16."
In response to the lawsuit, Rooney and Harper Collins withdrew the accusations and issued a public apology to Moyes. The publisher also agreed to pay substantial damages to Scottish manager, which he donated to the Everton Former Players Foundation.
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Moyes Gave His Version of Events
"What had been written was completely untrue"
As per Goal, Moyes denied any truth to Rooney's claims and was both relieved and satisfied once the legal dispute had been brought to a resolution. He explained: "Anyone who knows me well would, I hope, regard me as a man of honour and integrity.
"I was disappointed and wanted people to know that what had been written was completely untrue. I felt that I had no choice but to take action for a full apology and damages. Having accepted these, I do not intend to make any financial gain from this and shall give that to the Everton Former Players Foundation".
The two would link up again at Man United when Moyes was appointed as Sir Alex Ferguson's replacement in 2013. At least publicly, the issue seemed to have long been quashed since then.