Everton are confident that Wayne Rooney will sign a new contract which will secure his long-term future at Goodison Park. Negotiations have been on-going for a number of weeks as the 17-year-old seeks to secure his first professional contract - he is still on the books as a 'scholar' - and there have been suggestions Rooney is ready to pull out.
"To suggest that these negotiations are on the point of collapse is absolute nonsense," said Ian Ross, Everton's Head of Corporate Affairs and Public Relations.
He added: "Indeed, it is likely that we will again be sitting down with Wayne's ProActive management team later this week. Wayne is anxious to sign a full, professional contract with us and we are similarly anxious to see this deal agreed, signed and delivered. Wayne has constantly made it clear that he is an Evertonian first and a footballer second - he does not want to play for any other club. We confidently expect a deal to be struck in the not too distant future."
Filed by Shane Murray
