Wayne Rooney admits he’s flattered to be linked with the managerial vacancy at Everton.
Rooney is currently the bookmakers favourite to become the next permanent Blues boss after Rafa Benitez was sacked following the 2-1 defeat at Norwich City, which left him with just one win from his last 13 Premier League matches.
Duncan Ferguson, who was assistant manager to Benitez and predecessor Carlo Ancelotti, starts a second stint as caretaker boss against Aston Villa on Saturday, having previously taken charge for four games in December 2019.
Speaking at his pre-match press conference for that fixture, Ferguson, who suggested he was too inexperienced himself to be considered for the role on a permanent basis, was asked about Rooney’s credentials for the job and said that his former team-mate, currently in charge of Derby County, had already proven his managerial credentials.
Rooney, who like Ferguson had two playing spells at Everton, is preparing for his own side’s big fixture at 12:30pm on Saturday as the Rams face their biggest rivals Nottingham Forest.
Asked in his pre-match press conference about links to the position at the Blues, who it is understood are considering him for the job, Rooney stated that there had been no approach as of yet.
But he told reporters: "I'm the same as everyone else, I see the speculation on social media and in the newspapers. Of course Everton is a club I grew up supporting.
"I'm flattered to get brought up in those conversations, but I know Everton know that to have any communication with me they have to go through the administrators."
