Briefing: Wayne Rooney’s transfer

“He might have thought that he was too big for Everton before the end. Now he will have to prove that he can cope with the media glare and behave like the role model he is to millions of young people.

“Sir Alex Ferguson has a reputation for being paternalistic with his young players and I think Rooney needs someone like that to keep him under control. I doubt that Fergie will issue him with any kind of ultimatum - he will want to impress on Rooney straight away that he is on his side but that certain things are expected him, on and off the pitch.

“He will be left in no doubt that he has to behave in a way that reflects his status as a player for one of the biggest clubs in the world.

“On the pitch, the first thing that he will notice is the huge gulf in the quality of the players surrounding him. He will fit in, because he is massively talented, but he is likely to spend most of this season playing now and then rather than every week, and watching from the subs’ bench while United break him in gradually.

“United already have three proven strikers in Alan Smith, Louis Saha and particularly Ruud van Nistelrooy who justifiably feel that they have a stronger right to start matches than Rooney.

“United were not particularly desperate to buy Rooney at this point, but since he did come on the transfer market they were keen to secure him as an investment for years to come.

“Everton, on the other hand, are having to make the best of a very bad job. Selling him was the last thing they wanted to do, but after a dreadful summer with no money to bring in new players and serious problems in the boardroom, the transfer will at least guarantee an immediate £10 million, with a further £10 million next summer.

“I hear that the remaining five or six million will be tied to future performance, with, for example, Everton getting paid £1 million if United win the Premiership.

“Only time will show which side has the better deal. It is certainly a lot of money to pay for someone who has only scored 15 goals in the Premiership. There is no reason to believe that his form in Portugal was a flash in the pan, but he is a gamble as a person and a player because he is so raw.

“Before Euro 2004 Rooney had had a poor season for Everton, and no doubt there were mixed feelings at the club when they saw him doing so well in Portugal. They were proud that their homegrown player was the talk of the tournament, but they might well have wondered why he couldn’t have turned on the same performance for his club as he did for England.

“There was the realisation, too, that Euro 2004 was going to make it harder to keep him. Even so, I doubt whether Everton would have expected him to go by the end of August. It has been a remarkably quick turnaround.

“The two clubs will put out a sugar-coated statement, but the way this deal has been done has left a sour taste in the mouth.

“Rooney’s agents are a reputable team, but this transfer hasn’t been handled well. They resent the suggestion that they and Rooney have forced the transfer, but I think there are things they could have done differently.

“I think that Rooney has been led to believe that he has to get out of Everton as soon as possible for his own good, and has been turned against the side.

“Subsequently, the fans have turned against him and have chanted anti-Rooney songs and unpleasant graffiti has started appearing around the club - a product of the poisonous atmosphere that has been created in recent weeks.

“I think in years to come when they look back on this transfer they will recognise that there were things they could have handled better.”