Manchester United stars eulogise over Rooney

Manchester United players past and present have paid a raft of tributes to Wayne Rooney after his illustrious Old Trafford career came to end on Sunday.

The 31-year-old has rejoined boyhood club Everton, departing United as both the Red Devils’ and England’s all-time record goalscorer, as well as having won every major honour available during his 13 seasons with the 20-time League champions.

Members of Jose Mourinho’s current United squad, as well as some of those that played alongside Rooney in seasons past, have flooded social media to laud their now former teammate.

Ander Herrera, one of those tipped to take up the captain’s armband, tweeted: “One day I will be able to tell my grandkids I played with you. All the best and thank you.”

Meanwhile, Michael Carrick posted: “Blew me away by how good he was from day 1. Outrageous. Had ups n downs but what a ride we’ve been on. Gonna miss him. Good luck Pal.”

Teenage striker Marcus Rashford kept his tribute short and sweet, writing: “What a player and a person. People only dream of doing what he has done! All the best.”

(Tony McArdle/Everton FC via Getty Images)

Rio Ferdinand, himself a former England skipper, reminisced about the first time he shared a training pitch with Rooney while on duty with the Three Lions.

He tweeted: “I have just seen this kid make a couple of seasoned England defenders look very basic, then nonchalantly dink the ball over/around the keeper….then jog back like it was some sort of regular playground messabout.”

Gary Neville, who spent his whole career at Old Trafford and played with countless top-class frontmen, posted: “All the best and congratulations on a great United career. The best striker I played with and saw at the club.”