United finally land Rooney
The clubs reached "outline agreement" earlier today and the deal was completed four and a half hours before the transfer window closed. Rooney has signed a six-year contract with United, who will pay Everton a basic £20m, with half to be paid immediately and the other half due on August 1, 2005. There are contingent payments totalling up to an extra £7m dependent on the fulfilment of various clauses over the next five years. Rooney's representatives, Pro-Active Sports Management Ltd, could be paid £1.5m - depending on Rooney's loyalty to United - for their role in the acquisition of the player and the negotiation of his personal terms. A United statement to announce an agreement read: "Wayne has signed a six-year contract until June 30 2010. The fee payable to Everton is £20m. Half is due now, with half due on August 1 2005. "In addition there are contingent payments to Everton over the next five years up to a maximum of £7m, dependent on club success, the player renewing his contract and his appearances at international level. "Of this sum, £3m will be due to Everton provided Rooney remains registered to MU until June 30 2007." United also revealed that Rooney's representatives would receive £1.5m. "Agents' fees payable to Proactive Sports Management Limited in relation to both the acquisition of the player and negotiation of his personal terms totalled £1.5m. "Of this sum, £1m is guaranteed, of which £0.5m is payable immediately and the balance over the following five years in equal instalments. "The remaining £0.5m will be paid in five equal instalments over the duration of Rooney's contract provided he remains registered to MU at the due dates for payment." Rooney will be unveiled at a 1pm press conference today. He said: "It was a tough decision to leave Everton, the club I've supported and played for all my life, but I'm excited to be joining a club as big as Manchester United. "I feel this can only improve my career, playing with top players in top competitions like the Champions League and I can't wait to meet up with the team." Manager Alex Ferguson is thrilled to have Rooney on board after competition for his signature from Newcastle. "I am very excited, I think we have got the best young player this country has seen in the past 30 years. Everyone is delighted by this signing," he said. Chief executive David Gill added: "We are delighted to have reached an agreement for Wayne. He will be a tremendous asset to Manchester United and undoubtedly has a bright future ahead of him." Rooney is currently out of action after breaking his foot at Euro 2004 but that has not deterred United from getting their man, who arrived at the training complex earlier today with United's club doctor Mike Stone. The teenager was not in the stands at Old Trafford when Everton drew with United on Tuesday but arrived in Manchester less than 24 hours later. He hit out at Everton at the weekend for the response to his transfer request last week and said he was "gutted" at the situation at the club. Fans at Goodison jeered the absent teenager during their team's 2-1 win against West Brom after he demanded a move. Newcastle bid £20m and then £23.5m for the Croxteth-born player who has scored 17 goals for the Toffees since arriving in the Premiership spectacularly two years ago. But the departure of manager Bobby Robson, plus the fact the Magpies could only offer UEFA Cup football compared to the lure of Champions League action at Old Trafford, would appear to have swayed Rooney away from the north-east. United failed with their first bid of £20m before increasing their offer over the weekend. The teenager's reputation - and consequently his transfer value - rocketed in the summer when he was the star of England's otherwise unremarkable Euro 2004 campaign, until breaking the fifth metatarsal bone in his right foot in the quarter-final defeat against hosts Portugal.
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