Everton have not had many players to shout about in recent memory, as most of their finest talents have left for greener pastures.
And why wouldn’t they?
For decades now the Toffees has been a breeding ground for mediocrity, with little to no ambition shown despite a number of false dawns.
Even the vast financial backing of Farhad Moshiri proved to be a failed venture too, arguably regressing the club and making it an even less attractive proposition.
Ross Barkley, Richarlison, John Stones, Romelu Lukaku, Marouane Fellaini, Joleon Lescott… the list is truly endless.
However, arguably their toughest sale to date, and easily the club’s greatest-ever export, was Wayne Rooney, who joined Manchester United in 2004.
Alan Shearer names former Everton player in prestigious list
Whilst he would return to his boyhood club in the latter stages of his career, his finest years were undoubtedly spent at Old Trafford, claiming title after title under the legendary leadership of Sir Alex Ferguson.
He gave everything to that club, and remains one of its best players.
So, when Gary Lineker asked Alan Shearer who he thought the most complete player was, and who would be best-placed to thrive if there were a team of 11 of that one player, his answer was short, simple and instant: ‘Wayne Rooney’.
The former Leicester City, Barcelona and Everton striker concurred: ‘Yeah not a bad shout, he probably covered the whole of the pitch most of the time even though he’s a striker.’
Lineker would actually settle on Steven Gerrard as his pick, whilst Micah Richards went with Yaya Toure.
Wayne Rooney remains a criminally underrated player
Despite having posted 396 goal contributions for the Red Devils, scoring 208 in the Premier League and 53 for England, it still feels like Rooney is often missing from conversations regarding the best players to have graced the English top flight.
Whether it be due to his longevity or the lack of outstanding flair to his play style, the gritty teenager who burst onto the scene certainly lived up to the hype.
However, the fact that he declined so early often leads to many dismissing his greatness once again, with those detractors forgetting how much he was relied upon as a 16-year-old in the Premier League.
Rooney is, and likely will forever remain, one of the country’s greatest-ever players.
Even if his spells with Everton were short and during the start and end of his illustrious career, it should be an honour to have someone so talented associated with the club.