Everton have stepped up their efforts to lure Wayne Rooney back to Goodison Park. There remain hurdles to overcome, notably coming up with a financial package for a player who earns about £250,000 a week at Manchester United, but Everton’s desire to strike a deal for the 31-year-old is now clear.

The situation has been discussed over the past week and the clubs have also been talking about Romelu Lukaku, who is wanted by both United and Chelsea. Rooney was due to return from holiday last night and will report for training at the end of the week.

José Mourinho, the United manager, has said that he wants his club captain to remain at Old Trafford but the prospect of regular football at Everton, whom