Manchester United executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward has paid tribute to Wayne Rooney's career at the club following his return to Everton.
Rooney arrived at Old Trafford as a teenager in 2004 and now rejoins his boyhood club 13 years later having risen to the top of United's all-time goalscoring charts, winning every major honour available to him along the way.
The 31-year-old has put pen to paper on a two-year deal at Goodison Park, leading Woodward to be effusive in his praise for the club's "greatest ever goalscorer".
"Wayne has been a fantastic servant to United since the moment he signed for us as a prodigiously talented, explosive teenager some 13 seasons ago," he told the club's official website.
"Who can forget his storybook debut hat-trick against Fenerbahce, the spectacular overhead kick against City and the countless match-winning performances in his time here? But after much discussion, the club has decided to accept his request to rejoin his boyhood team.
"He goes having created some of the most magical moments in some of the most successful years in the club's history. Wayne leaves us as our greatest ever goalscorer and having won every major trophy in the game. His record will take decades for anyone to get close to matching and I am extremely grateful for the way he has led from the front since being appointed club captain three years ago.
"On behalf of the whole club and our hundreds of millions of fans around the world, we wish Wayne all the very best for the next phase of his incredible career."
Rooney scored 253 goals in 559 appearances for United, helping the club to five Premier League titles, the FA Cup, three League Cups, the Champions League and the Europa League during his time at Old Trafford.
Barney Corkhill
