WAYNE ROONEY – EVERTON TO MANCHESTER UNITED, £27million(SUMMER 2004)
Having broken through in explosive fashion at boyhood club Everton aged just 16, Wayne Rooney joined Manchester United in August of 2004 in a deal worth a reported £27 million – a then-world record for a teenager.
After scoring a hat-trick on his competitive debut for the Red Devils – as part of a 6-2 home win over Fenerbahce in the Champions League qualifying round – Rooney hasn’t looked back since, scoring 246 goals for the club in 523 appearances.
Still aged just 30, and having started the season in blistering form under new manager Jose Mourinho, Rooney certainly isn’t finished at the North-West club either – with Sir Bobby Charlton’s club-record 249 goals firmly in the striker’s sights for this season.
Having collected five Premier League winner’s medals, one Champions League title, two League Cups, four Community Shields, one FA Cup, and one FIFA Club World Cup Trophy in his time at the club, Rooney’s deadline day move to Manchester United is sure to go down in history as one of the best pieces of business the league has ever seen.