Update: Wayne Rooney was joining Newcastle before my 11-word Man United transfer message News

Wayne Rooney enjoyed a meteoric rise as a teenage prodigy for Everton and was close to signing for Newcastle before sealing his dream move to Manchester United

Wayne Rooney was close to joining Newcastle before an Everton team-mate convinced him to sign for Manchester United instead.

Rooney took the Premier League by storm after breaking into the Toffees’ first team as a mere 16-year-old during the 2002/03 season. His sensational first two seasons at Goodison Park established him as one of England’s most exciting talents, which in turn caught the attention of some of the division’s biggest clubs.

Having shone for the Three Lions at Euro 2004, legendary Red Devils boss Sir Alex Ferguson was among those that went after his signature. Rooney agreed to join United in a deal worth £25.6million, setting into motion his incredible career at Old Trafford which culminated in him becoming the club’s all-time leading goal-scorer and winning five league titles.

However, his former Everton captain Duncan Ferguson has now revealed just how close a teenage Rooney was to signing for Newcastle, where his career would have played out very differently.

Ferguson said on the Stick to Football podcast, brought to you by Sky Bet: “He was going to go to Newcastle, and I advised him against that move, before he went to Manchester United.”

Revealing his poignant 11-word message to Rooney, the Scot added: “I told him that Newcastle was a great club, but ‘if United and Sir Alex Ferguson want you, you better go’.”

Ferguson, who spent 11 seasons as an Everton player across two spells, also opened up on his relationship with his former team-mate, saying: “Alan [Shearer] and Wayne were the best strikers I played with. Wayne was only young at the time, but you could see where he was going to get to – he was a top player.

“I tried to shy away from Wayne – he was younger than me, and he looked up to me like I was his hero. I was worried that I wasn’t the best role model – he is the biggest talent in Britain – and if he got in any trouble, I’d get the blame for it.”

Rooney did return to Everton for a single season in 2017 after achieving all of his ambitions with United, scoring 10 goals in 31 appearances. He previously said about his decision to join the Red Devils: “I knew it [joining United] was an option before Euro 2004. I knew Manchester United wanted to sign me.

“I think going to the Euros and doing well there probably added a bit more money onto the transfer fee but I broke my foot and found out a few things. Everton were really struggling for money at the time and I found out they were listening to offers from people as well.

“They were trying to push me to sign for Chelsea because they were going to pay the most money. But, once I knew United were interested, I wanted some confirmation that they did want to sign me.

“It was 40 minutes from my home, where I grew up, as well and it was a perfect fit for me. United actually wanted to wait a year, until the following year, but then Newcastle came into talks with Everton and with myself.

“I’d gone too far then. I couldn’t wait another year, I couldn’t stay another year at Everton, so I was prepared to go to Newcastle for that year. I spoke to them, we spoke about salary and what I wanted if I went there was, after a year, if Manchester United come in, you have to let me go.

“Newcastle were agreeing to that but obviously, with United, I went back to them and said, if you don’t do it now, I’ll go to Newcastle with a clause in place.

“United obviously didn’t want me to go there so I came here. It was basically whatever Newcastle paid for me, United would have paid a year later.”