A Manchester United fan wears a club T-shirt with the name of England striker Wayne Rooney on it outside the Manchester United football ground Old Trafford in northern England, August 31, 2004. (Reuters)

Manchester United have completed the signing of England striker Wayne Rooney from Everton on a six-year contract, the Premier League club's website reported on Tuesday.

United will pay 20 million pounds ($35.94 million) for the 18-year-old, with half due immediately and the other half to be paid by August 1, 2005. There could be further contingent payments to Everton over the next five years up to a maximum of seven million pounds.

"It was a tough decision to leave Everton, the club I've supported and played for all my life, but I'm excited to be joining a club as big as Manchester United," said Rooney, who will wear United's number eight shirt.

"I feel this can only improve my career, playing with top players in top competitions like the Champions League and I can't wait to meet up with the team," he added.

United manager Alex Ferguson was delighted to sign a player he said last week would make United's squad as strong as that which won the club's second European Cup in 1999.

"I am very excited, I think we have got the best young player this country has seen in the past 30 years," Ferguson said.

Rooney, who scored four goals to help England reach the Euro 2004 quarter-finals, had been at the centre of a bidding war between United and Premier League rivals Newcastle United.

When he recovers from his current foot injury he will be one of four top-notch strikers at Old Trafford along with Dutchman Ruud van Nistelrooy, Louis Saha of France and England's Alan
Smith.

United have made a poor start to the season, picking up only five points from their opening four Premier League matches to fall seven points behind champions Arsenal and Chelsea.

"We are delighted to have reached an agreement for Wayne," said United chief executive David Gill. "He will be a tremendous asset to Manchester United and undoubtedly has a bright future
ahead of him".

At a total of 27 million pounds, Rooney becomes the third most expensive player in English soccer history. England defender Rio Ferdinand joined Manchester United from Leeds United for 28.2 million pounds in 2002 and Argentine midfielder Juan Sebastian Veron moved to United for 28.0 million from Lazio in 2001.

United just beat the Premier League transfer deadline of midnight on Tuesday to sign Rooney. 

(Agencies)

striker: a forward on a soccer team（射手，前锋）

manager: one who is in charge of the training and performance of an athlete or a team（主教练）

notch: to achieve; score（得分）