Wayne Rooney set to play in Everton friendly in Tanzania

Posted Wednesday, July 12, 2017 by Skysports.com

Wayne Rooney will play for Everton in Tanzania

Wayne Rooney will make his first appearance since re-signing for Everton when they play a friendly in Tanzania on Thursday.

The Toffees will play Kenyan side Gor Mahia during their trip to East Africa, which has been arranged as part of their partnership with new sponsors SportPesa.

Ronald Koeman has confirmed all players making the trip will feature for at least 45 minutes which means Rooney, who returned to his boyhood club from Manchester United after signing a two-year deal at the weekend, will feature for the first time in an Everton shirt since his return.

"I'm looking forward to it - it should be a good trip," Rooney told evertontv. "It'll be nice and hopefully I'll get on the pitch and get some game time.

"It's good when you go away with the team. It's good to be around the hotel with the players, spend more time with them and get to know them more.

"I've never been to Tanzania before, so I'm really looking forward to it."

Wayne Rooney set to play in Everton friendly in Tanzania
Ross Barkley, who has has been linked with a summer move, has not travelled

One man who has not travelled to East Africa is midfielder Ross Barkley, who the club have said is receiving treatment for a groin injury.

The England international, who has frustrated Koeman by refusing to sign a new contract after entering the final 12 months of his current deal, has been pictured training with the squad in the last few days.

Towards the end of last season Koeman threatened Barkley he would be sold if he did not sign but so far there has not been any movement on either side.

Wayne Rooney set to play in Everton friendly in Tanzania
Ronald Koeman says all players on the trip will feature for at least 45 minutes

Koeman has taken new signings Davy Klaassen and Michael Keane on the trip but goalkeeper Jordan Pickford and Sandro Ramirez are still on extended leave after their involvement in the European U21 Championship.

"It's always difficult in pre-season to go a long way abroad because it will be hot over there and we need to play the friendly," Koeman said.

"But with the way we have organised it, we leave on Tuesday evening and are back on Friday - that's good because it's not too long and it won't have a negative effect on our pre-season."

Wayne Rooney set to play in Everton friendly in Tanzania
New signings Davy Klaassen and Michael Keane (right) will be on the trip

"It's a trip that is not all about football. There is the commercial side as well, which is good for Everton. We will support the club in what we need to do over there."

"The most important thing is how we start our pre-season. It is about what we need to do to get to our best at our football and physical levels. This is our first friendly and everybody will be involved for 45 minutes in the game. You play football to win and we will do that in Tanzania."

Striker Oumar Niasse, one of five out-of-favour players not to be allocated a shirt number last summer after featuring for just 45 minutes in a pre-season friendly, has been handed the No 34 after Everton confirmed their squad's shirt list.

Sandro Ramirez has taken the No 9 shirt at Everton

However, it appears unlikely Niasse, who scored five times in 19 appearances for Hull on loan last season, will feature much for Koeman's side as the Dutchman has brought in almost £40m-worth of attacking talent and is still reportedly interested in Swansea's Gylfi Sigurdsson and Arsenal's Olivier Giroud.

Rooney's No 10 was confirmed a couple of days ago, Ramirez has taken the No 9 shirt, injured winger Yannick Bolasie has swapped 14 for the departed Gerard Deulofeu's No 7, while goalkeeper Joel Robles has surrendered his No 1 shirt to Pickford.