Everton chairman Bill Kenwright has confirmed that Wayne Rooney took a 50% drop in his Manchester United wages in order to complete a return to Goodison Park last summer.
Rooney was believed to be on £300,000 at United, but left the Red Devils at the end of last season to re-join the Toffees, where he is said to collect in the region of £150,000 a week.
The 32-year-old won Goal of the Season and Individual Performance of the Season at Everton's award ceremony on Tuesday night for his hat-trick against West Ham United earlier this season.
The futures of Rooney and Kenwright at Everton were called into question by a newspaper at the weekend, and the Toffees chairman also had a response to that particular report.
"The double award winner Wayne, that was one of the greatest and shortest negotiations I've ever had," Kenwright told reporters. "He was so determined to come home and, as you know, he gave up half of his salary to do so.
"And the smile on his face when Jimmy [Martin], our kit man, gave him that Everton shirt, he would need an operation to get rid of it. A Sunday newspaper this week decided Wayne had underachieved and my head was on the block. If my head is on the block for supporting Wayne Rooney I will wear that badge with pride."
Rooney has scored 10 times in 31 Premier League appearances for Everton this season.
Matt Law
