They Threatened To Kill Me!” — Rooney Reveals Dark Side Of His Move To Man United

Former England striker Wayne Rooney has revealed that he received death threats after leaving his boyhood club, Everton, to join Manchester United in 2004.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

Rooney, then just 18, completed a £27 million transfer after turning down what would have been a record contract offer from Everton. The move sparked outrage among some Toffees fans, resulting in targeted attacks on his family.

Speaking on the latest episode of BBC Sport’s The Wayne Rooney Show, he recounted:
“I got death threats. My parents’ house was spray-painted and vandalised. My girlfriend at the time—now my wife—had her house spray-painted too.”

Rooney said the emotional strain was intense, especially given the fierce rivalry between Merseyside and Manchester.

“You have to be mentally strong. The people around you have to support you. Leaving was tough because it was Manchester United. The rivalry made everything even more difficult,” he said.

Despite the anger and personal attacks, Rooney stayed focused on his career goals.

“I always had the mindset of ‘I don’t care’. I knew what I wanted and how to get there. It was difficult because these were people from my own city, but I had to be selfish. You have to make decisions that benefit your future,” he added.

Rooney also discussed his 16-year-old son, Kai, who plays in Manchester United’s youth team, noting that modern young players face far more scrutiny due to social media.

“The difference now is social media. Back then, I was only in the local papers, so mainly people in Liverpool knew me,” he said.

“Now with my boy, he’s on social media, he plays for United, he’s sponsored by Puma—and hundreds of thousands, even millions, are watching kids that young. I never had that.”

He stressed the importance of strong support systems for rising footballers.

“Being a young player, especially when you break into the first team, you’re judged constantly—rightly or wrongly. That’s why you need people around you to keep you grounded,” he said.

He added that families must guide young players through online pressure:
“We all get carried away with social media. So it’s crucial that the people close to you truly have your best interests at heart. That’s what matters most.”