Cape Town - Everton chairman Bill Kenwright is confident that Manchester United star Wayne Rooney will return to Goodison Park to see out his career.
The 29-year-old striker was a product of the Toffees' youth system and shone for the Three Lions during Euro 2004 as a teenager.
His four goals for the national team during the tournament in Portugal won him a big-money move to Old Trafford two months later, with Kenwright reluctantly agreeing to sell the prodigious talent.
Rooney has gone on to carve out a successful career with the Red Devils, winning five Premier League titles and the UEFA Champions League amongst others, and is currently third in the club's all-time goal-scoring charts.
Despite the Croxteth-born player having left the Merseysiders under a cloud 10 years ago, Kenwright believes the fans' anger towards Rooney has tempered and that he would be welcomed back with open arms.
Asked if he really believed it possible, Kenwright told the BBC: "Yes. He comes back to Goodison. He's an Evertonian and his family are. He is welcome to come back."
He did, however, admit that the final decision laid with the club's manager, Roberto Martinez, whom Kenwright hopes will remain at Goodison Park for many years to come, reports Football411.
The 69-year-old added: "In all honesty, all I ever do is advise. I am not sidestepping the question. It is always going to be Roberto Martinez's choice.
"Roberto is an extraordinary man. I would be thrilled if he wanted to commit for the length of time David [Moyes] did."
The 29-year-old striker was a product of the Toffees' youth system and shone for the Three Lions during Euro 2004 as a teenager.
His four goals for the national team during the tournament in Portugal won him a big-money move to Old Trafford two months later, with Kenwright reluctantly agreeing to sell the prodigious talent.
Rooney has gone on to carve out a successful career with the Red Devils, winning five Premier League titles and the UEFA Champions League amongst others, and is currently third in the club's all-time goal-scoring charts.
Despite the Croxteth-born player having left the Merseysiders under a cloud 10 years ago, Kenwright believes the fans' anger towards Rooney has tempered and that he would be welcomed back with open arms.
Asked if he really believed it possible, Kenwright told the BBC: "Yes. He comes back to Goodison. He's an Evertonian and his family are. He is welcome to come back."
He did, however, admit that the final decision laid with the club's manager, Roberto Martinez, whom Kenwright hopes will remain at Goodison Park for many years to come, reports Football411.
The 69-year-old added: "In all honesty, all I ever do is advise. I am not sidestepping the question. It is always going to be Roberto Martinez's choice.
"Roberto is an extraordinary man. I would be thrilled if he wanted to commit for the length of time David [Moyes] did."