The Manchester United star has criticised former boss David Moyes in his new book My Story So Far and claims he was desperate to leave Everton after falling out with the Goodison Park chief.
United made the first offer for Rooney back in August 2004 but he eventually signed for Man U in a deal worth £27m. Sir Alex Ferguson says the deal would never have occurred had it not been for Newcastle's interest.
Rooney: "If no-one else had come in I would have gone to Newcastle. I would have gone almost anywhere just to get away from David Moyes.
"There was only one person who seemed a bit upset and envious of what was happening to me - and that was Moyes. I suppose he expected to get most of the attention himself and following a good season when Everton had ended seventh. But when realised he wasn't getting so much of the limelight, I felt he resented it."
Rooney also claims that Moyes laid into him for putting on the captain's armband in a game when ex-Toon star Duncan Ferguson was red-carded.