Everton has neared an agreement with D.C. United for the sale of Wayne Rooney, but the completion of the deal now hinges on the veteran forward.

Everton has neared an agreement with D.C. United for the sale of Wayne Rooney, but the completion of the deal now hinges on the boyhood Evertonian.

Rooney only returned to Goodison Park last season, after 13 trophy laden seasons with Manchester United, and featured heavily under Sam Allardyce, finishing the season as Everton’s top scorer.

However, it seems the Toffees are eager to offload the forward this summer due to his huge wage packet, totalling around £8m-a-year.

The deal had looked a certainty but some doubt was cast over the deal with reports Rooney could make a dramatic U-turn to stay and play under new manager Marco Silva.

The Mirror now believes that contrasting reports may have come from Rooney’s camp as he is unhappy at being forced out of the club.

Speaking to the press for the first time since his appointment yesterday though, Silva offered no assurances over Rooney’s future. He actually expressed he’d be happy for the forward to leave, but admitted the final decision rests with the player himself.

The Times quoted Silva as saying: “Wayne [Rooney] needs to take this decision and the club needs to take this decision as well and after I have enough time to talk with him and see everything.”

Rooney has allegedly expressed his desire to stay at Everton and is disgruntled at the way the club have made his summer exit a priority. The Manchester United legend was apparently planning on a lengthy stay at Goodison before retiring in MLS.

Everton’s director of football Marcel Brands was also on hand at Silva’s first press conference to offer his two cents on the matter.

“The clubs are close to having an agreement, but it is up to Wayne of course,” Brands stated. “I haven’t spoken to Wayne myself, I will definitely do that in the coming days, but I understand that he wants to make the next step in his career to the MLS.

“I did the same in PSV [Eindhoven] with players like [Ruud] Van Nistelrooy and Mark van Bommel and Wayne is a big legend here at the club. I hope that when he comes back from the States he will come back to Everton in whatever role he wants.”

It certainly appears as though Rooney will complete his switch to Audi Field and is already reported to be close to agreeing a £3.7m salary. Everton meanwhile are already planning for life without their top scorer for a second successive summer.

They already have recent arrivals Gylfi Sigurdsson and Davy Klaassen who could fill in a more central role. They are also one of the clubs being linked with relegated Stoke star Xherdan Shaqiri, who could offer a much cheaper option than considering his reported £13.5m release clause.