Everton have been blessed with excellent strikers throughout their history, and there has been clear evidence of that in the past 20 years in the Premier League. The Toffees have been able to call upon Romelu Lukaku and Wayne at different periods to lead the line, and both have excelled to different degrees. But, which star contributed more for the club during their stay at Goodison Park?
Rooney- First Spell
There was no secret that Wayne Rooney was set for special things from a young age. Rooney joined the Everton youth team aged just nine, and would later make his professional debut for his boyhood club when he was aged just 16 in 2002. His impact in the Premier League was an immediate one, as he scored a stunning long-range effort to end Arsenal’s unbeaten start to the 2002-03 season.
Rooney’s stay in the first-team would be extended one, and he would later net the winner against Leeds United just 15 days after netting his first Premier League goal against Arsenal. His first season at Goodison was a huge success, as he scored eight goals in 37 games for the club. His final season at Goodison during his initial stint would come in 2003-04, and he once again progressed for the club, scoring nine goals in 34 games, as the Toffees finished the season just outside the bottom three. Rooney would go onto to achieve special things at Manchester United, and that helped him earn a place on the list of Premier League greats at FootySamba.
Lukaku’s Everton Stay
Rooney’s departure from the club in 2004 left a hole in the forward line that the club failed to fill. However, it appeared that the Toffees had finally found their new number nine when Romelu Lukaku signed on loan in 2013 after an impressive spell with West Bromwich Albion. After scoring 15 goals in 31 league games during his first season, the club parted way with a club-record fee of £28 million to sign the striker permanently.
The striker’s performances would continue to improve, as he netted 20 in all competitions in his first full season with the club. He would improve on that tally in his following two seasons, scoring 25 in the 2015-16 season and 26 in the 2016-17 season. However, like Rooney, Lukaku would be swayed away from Goodison by the bright lights of Old Trafford.
Rooney’s Return
Lukaku’s move to Manchester United quickly led to the return of Wayne Rooney, who signed for his boyhood club after 13 years away. Rooney made an instant impression on his return to Goodison, as he scored the winning goal against Stoke City in August 2017. The former England captain would later make history by netting against Manchester City, becoming only the second player to score 200 Premier League goals.
However, the performance that stands out for many fans would be his stunning display against West Ham United. Rooney netted his first hat-trick for Everton, with his third effort coming from a half volley from inside his own half. Despite scoring ten goals in 31 league games, Rooney parted ways with Everton at the end of the 2017-18 season and signed for D.C. United.
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