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Richard Parker asks whether accepting an enormous bid for Wayne Rooney would out-weigh the risk of keeping him.

Hang on or let go?
23 June, 2004

Wayne Rooney: Everybody has their price

Wayne Rooney to Chelsea, Man Utd, Real Madrid, whoever for X million pounds. The heart says "No," but what will the heads of EFC say?

In response to the article written by Christiano Multesanti, which is well argued and thought out, there is another set of factors to consider:

The first is that in football's financial climate there are literally 2, at a stretch 3 clubs who could front the cash necessary to purchase Rooney. Chelsea obviously, Real Madrid possibly, Man Utd unlikely. So we are unlikely to be looking at £50M in the bank, unless he departs for Stamford Bridge. The window of opportunity to cash-in on the hype is already limited and could also be very short. What will an average next season for Rooney do to his recently rocketed value?

Which brings us on to the Chelsea factor. In the same way that you can halve the price of a Leeds player being sold, you can double the price of a player once Chelsea declare an interest (£13.2M for a full-back!?). So, if we get that all important bid from Chelsea, that's when we may have to think long and hard about letting Wayne go.

Then you have to look at risks. Wayne could go on to be the greatest player from these shores, from this continent, he even has an outside chance of being the best in the world. He also has a chance of being injured, going the way of Gazza, or other similar scenarios too horrible to contemplate!! Imagine we turn down a bid now for £50M and next season he breaks a leg, wrecks his knees, or some such catastrophe. It is possible that he never gets back to his best, or I should probably say, he never achieves his potential.

At the end of the day, the deciding factor will be the opportunity cost of hanging on or letting go of Wayne Rooney. What will be enough to offset the loss of the prodigal son? A new stadium? 10 good first-team players? 5 great first-team players? Debts paid off? Any combination of the above? Imagine what a £50-100M cash injection would mean for Everton. We would have money like never before, a new stadium would be a possibility, instead of a dream.

The considerations, combinations and permutations are all hypothetical, sketchy and basically a best-guess of what the future holds. Right now, with the departure of so many of the playing staff and the possible imminent departure of Gravesen and Radzinski, even Wayne may not be able to keep Everton in the Premiership next season. In a strange way, selling Wayne could ensure our survival. Or it could leave a club with a transfer kitty which can?t be spent due to an inability to attract quality players. Remember the open cheque-book which so spectacularly failed in the Smith reign? Let's just say, it's a decision I am only too happy is being made by someone other than myself!

I'm sure the Everton board and Moyes have done their maths and know the figure which will prise Rooney away from Goodison. They would be foolish not to be prepared, whether it's £50M, £70M or £100M. But if someone does actually offer that figure we should be prepared to watch his rise to stardom, away from Goodison, with envious eyes.

Richard Parker

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