Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho believes Wayne Rooney is a true legend of the club, and says he is one of the most important players in United’s history.

Rooney will make his return to Old Trafford on Sunday, playing against Manchester United for boyhood club Everton. The former United skipper spent 13 years at United, winning all that there is to win. He finished his tenure at the club during the summer, and left as United’s all-time top scorer with 253 goals in 557 appearances – a truly remarkable feat.

Jose worked with Rooney for one year, but understands just how much he means to the club. The Portuguese says he thinks Rooney will get a warm welcome at Old Trafford before and after the game, but he hopes for different during the game.

“I think he will get the welcome that he deserves,” Mourinho said. “I think sometimes in this country the word ‘legend’ comes too easy.”

“That is not this case. He is a real legend of the club – the number of appearances, the number of goals and the number of trophies.”

“I think clearly he is one of the most important players in the history of Manchester United.

“I think the stadium will show him that respect that he deserves, I hope, before the match and after the match but not during the match.”

Rooney’s move back to Everton also included Romelu Lukaku moving to Manchester, and the Belgian has made a brilliant start to life at United, scoring 6 goals in his first 6 games. Lukaku has some big boots to fill by playing up front for the Red Devils, but Mourinho is confident the 24-year-old will produce, saying he has joined the club at the right moment in his career.

“He comes in the right moment, at a good age with a good number of years of experience in different clubs in the Premier League,” Mourinho said.

“Clearly, he is a player who has adapted to the Premier League with good friends in this dressing room and he had an easy integration into our group.”

“The way the team is trying to play also suits his qualities as a player so I think he came in the right moment of his career.”

[Quotes via Sky Sports]