Wayne Rooney highlights Everton transfer regret regarding red-hot Leeds United star who 'has everything'
The free agent striker has been in scintillating form for Leeds United in recent weeks.
Wayne Rooney believes Everton will regret losing Dominic Calvert-Lewin in the summer after seeing his incredible recent run of form at Leeds United.
Calvert-Lewin bagged his sixth and seventh goals of the season in Saturday’s 4-1 win at home to Crystal Palace, taking him to joint-fifth in the Premier League scoring ranks alongside the likes of Nick Woltemade and Morgan Rogers. The 28-year-old took a while to get going in front of goal but a brilliant run of six strikes in five games has coincided with an uptick in results.
Leeds took a bit of a gamble on Calvert-Lewin’s fitness but speaking in September, managing director Robbie Evans backed the club’s medical staff and has so far been proven right. And former Everton striker Rooney believes those in charge at Goodison Park - including former Whites CEO Angus Kinnear - might regret waving goodbye to the red-hot frontman.
“I think Everton were in a position and they will look now and think they should have kept him.” he said on BBC Match of the Day. “He was injured for two years and that made it difficult for Everton to keep him, but credit to Leeds medical team for getting him back and playing every week.
“He is a proper athlete – I obviously played with him. Most that have played with him and have seen him in the gym know how hard he works. If he is fit, he is a handful for any defender in world football but you have got to keep him fit.
“He is just so difficult to play against and people underestimate just how physically big he is, how aggressive he is and how good in the air he is. He has got everything, it’s just keeping him fit and I just hope he can stay fit from now until the end of the season.”
Wayne Rooney on Dominic Calvert-Lewin England calls
Calls are continuing to grow for Calvert-Lewin’s return to the England squad ahead of next summer’s World Cup, given his form and the lack of standout options other than Harry Kane. The Leeds man is on his best run of scoring since the 2020/21 campaign in which he was regularly involved at international level.
He and manager Daniel Farke have been quizzed on the matter in recent weeks, although for both the current and only focus is on keeping Leeds in the Premier League. And Rooney believes a continuation of the in-form striker’s current form should stand him in good stead going into the summer.
“Yeah, he’s doing everything right,” Rooney said of the striker’s England chances. “I think he’s got more to do until the end of the season. He’s doing what he does; he’s a handful.
“He’s a threat in the box, he’s good in the air, and he’s scoring goals. He’s putting himself in the bracket of putting himself in that squad, but he has to carry it on.”