How much Wayne Rooney was earning when he signed first pro deal at Everton could shock football fans

Wayne Rooney's playing career spanned almost 20 years and his first professional contract he signed as a teenager at Everton brought a salary which might shock some football fans.

The forward came through the youth team ranks at Goodison Park, making his debut in 2002 at the age of just 16.

Rooney's exploits on the pitch and his starring role for England at Euro 2004 led to his move to Manchester United that summer for more than £25 million.

Over the next 13 seasons, Rooney went on to net 253 goals in 559 games for United as he surpassed Sir Bobby Charlton to become the club's record goalscorer.

Over that period, Rooney won five Premier League titles with United, as well as the FA Cup, three League Cups, the Champions League, the Europa League and the FIFA Club World Cup.

Rooney moved back to his boyhood club Everton in 2017 for another season representing the blue half of Merseyside.

His playing days ended with spells at DC United in the MLS and Derby County in the Championship, before hanging up his boots in January 2021 as he became Rams manager.

Since then, Rooney has also had spells in management at Birmingham City and latterly at Plymouth Argyle, whom he departed at the end of last year.

Wayne Rooney. (Image: Getty)

Rooney also has 120 caps for England which places him second on the list for appearances behind Peter Shilton and was the record goalscorer for the Three Lions with 53 strikes, until his record was surpassed by Harry Kane.

During his time at United, Rooney reportedly earned up to £260,000 a week when he was club captain in the latter stages of his time at Old Trafford.

But when his career began at Everton, Rooney was initially on far more modest wages, though his first professional deal at the Toffees was still a decent sum of money and the amount the centre forward was earning might shock some football fans.

According to a report by the Guardian back in 2003, a then 17-year-old Rooney had been on a basic salary of just £90 a week when he was still a scholar, which was boosted to near £1,500 with each first team appearance.

But his first professional deal saw Rooney's weekly earnings rise dramatically to £13,000, plus bonuses, in a contract spanning three years.

Rooney was offered a new five-year deal by Everton in July 2004 reportedly worth £50,000 a week - but the forward ended up heading to Old Trafford that summer in a transfer deal worth a total of £27 million.