Zidane Hopes Jese Fulfils Potential
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SPORTS Wednesday, March 1, 2017 23 Everton boss open to Wayne Rooney return Zidane London Everton think can make the verton manager Ronald team stronger is welcome to EKoeman paved the way Everton.” Tuesday for Wayne Rooney’s Steve Walsh, Everton’s director hopes return to the club of his youth of football, endorsed Koeman’s by saying he would make the comments, adding: “Wayne side “stronger”. Rooney is one of the greatest Last week Rooney said he players that has ever played was staying with Manchester the game in England and for United following persistent us not to be interested would Jese speculation he could make a be wrong. lucrative move to the Chinese “He started his career here Super League. and if the opportunity arose But doubts still surround that he could come back and the long-term club future of it sat well with everyone it is the 31-year-old Rooney, the something we would consider. fulfils England national side’s record “He is a class apart, he goal-scorer, and Koeman sees things, and all the things appears ready to try to bring that have been said about him back to Liverpool-based Wayne are true. He comes Everton. into that category of being “I believe that Wayne one of England’s greatest ever Rooney is still playing at a high players, so why wouldn’t we be potential level,” Koeman told Sky Sports. interested? “I think he made a good “But let’s not get ahead of Madrid choice to stay at Manchester ourselves. Wayne is contracted eal Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane hopes United and in the Premier to Manchester United and Jese Rodriguez rediscovers the form League because he has still two made a decision to continue to thatR once made him the star of Madrid’s or three years in front of him play for them. academy, but only after his return to the by the likes to play on a high level,” the “Let’s wait and see what Santiago Bernabeu with Las Palmas today. of Lucas former Dutch international happens in the future.” Jese left Madrid for French champions Vazquez for first added. Rooney, born in Liverpool, Paris Saint-Germain on a five-year deal team opportunities. “What will happen at the joined Everton as a nine-year- in August for a reported 25 million euros “He is a high end of the season? I don’t know old and made his senior debut ($26.8m). quality Spanish but in my opinion he is one aged 16 on the opening day However, he scored just twice in 14 player who has of the players who can make of the 2002/03 season against appearances and quickly fell down always shown Everton more stronger. Tottenham Hotspur. the pecking order for PSG’s Spanish enormous “It’s all about what the player Six weeks later, coach Unai Emery before joining potential,” added likes, what Manchester United Rooney became Everton’s home town club Las Palmas on loan in Zidane. needs to do, and we are not youngest scorer with two goals January. “It didn’t go as he involved in that project. against Wrexham in the League “I like him a lot as a player and a person, would have wanted “But every player that we at Cup. (AFP) and I hope that from Thursday it goes at PSG, maybe he well for him at Las Palmas,” Zidane said did not have all the yesterday. minutes to show what When the Canary Islanders pushed the he could do. boat out to bring the 24-year-old forward “I wish him is back to La Liga at the end of January, all the best from qualifying for Europe was the aim. Thursday, and hope Instead, Las Palmas have lost all four that he regains his form games to Granada, Sevilla, Malaga and Real because he is a great Sociedad since signing Jese to slip to 12th player.” and cap his miserable season for far. Substitutes Isco and A move away from Real was supposed Alvaro Morata made a to relaunch his career after the devastating huge impact as Real came effect of a cruciate knee ligament injury from 2-0 down to beat that cut short his breakthrough season Villarreal 3-2 on Sunday in 2013/14 when Zidane was Madrid’s and could be rewarded assistant coach to Carlo Ancelotti. with a start on Wednesday At the time Jese was one of the brightest as Zidane promised to young talents in world football with goals rotate his squad once more. against Barcelona, Valencia, Athletic Bilbao Gareth Bale started the and Villarreal that campaign putting him Real fightback by scoring on the verge of a call-up to Spain’s 2014 on his first start for three World Cup squad. months and the Welshman Despite going onto to make 94 has been included in appearances in all for Madrid, his career at Zidane’s 19-man squad the Bernabeu never recovered as he lived despite suffering a knock late in the shadow of Cristiano Ronaldo and on at the Ceramic Stadium. Gareth Bale and was also ultimately usurped (AFP) Manchester United’s Portuguese manager Jose Mourinho (L) speaks to Manchester United’s English strik- er Wayne Rooney Real Madrid’s French coach Zinedine Zidane.