Wayne Rooney hails Arsenal midfielder Declan Rise as a ‘future captain of England’

Rooney’s former Everton team-mate Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who had a difficult start to his Leeds United career, has entered a purple patch in recent weeks.

The 28-year-old had scored just one goal in Leeds’ 10 league appearances before last month’s 3-2 defeat against Manchester City, but he managed to score in each of the last five games and scored twice in Saturday’s 4-1 win over Crystal Palace at Elland Road.

Rooney thinks that the striker can be included in Thomas Tuchel’s squad for the World Cup to be held in the USA, Mexico and Canada next summer.

“If he keeps it up, there’s no reason why he shouldn’t be talked about or even have the opportunity to go to the World Cup, just because of the lack of strikers England have,” Rooney said.

“He competes, he’s great with aerial balls, he’s good in both areas. “When he’s fit and scores goals like that, it’s very difficult to play against him.

“You forget, he’s still quite young, he still has some left in him and you forget what a good player he is.”

Calvert-Lewin scored 71 goals during his time at Everton but managed just three goals in his final season at the club and was out for more than three months with a hamstring injury.

“I think Everton made the right decision [to let him go]Rooney continued: “He has never been fit over the last few seasons and his contract is up.

“It would be very difficult for Everton to give him a new contract with his injury history, but he went to Leeds and stayed fit. The physios there are doing a good job with him.”