Wayne Rooney has turned down an approach from Everton to interview for their vacant manager’s position.

The Toffees are searching for a successor to Rafael Benitez after the Spaniard was sacked earlier this month following an extended poor run of form.

The club are just four points above the relegation zone after 10 defeats in 13 Premier League matches.

Rooney enjoys club legend status with Everton after two successful spells as a player and was one of a number of names on the shortlist including Frank Lampard and Vitor Pereira.

But Rooney has confirmed he has turned down the chance to speak to the club to focus on efforts to keep Derby in the Championship amidst ongoing problems surrounding their ownership.

“Everton approached my agent and asked me to interview for the vacant job, which I turned down,” he said on Friday.

“I believe I will be a Premier League manager. I believe I’m ready for that, 100 per cent. And if that is with Everton one day in the future that would be absolutely great. But I’ve got a job here that I’m doing at Derby County which is an important job to me.”

He admitted he had to think long and hard about the offer.

“They got in touch with my agent, my agent let the administrators know as well, and yes of course it was a difficult decision for me (to turn it down),” he added.

Former Chelsea boss Lampard remains a leading candidate for the role after undertaking a second round of talks with Pereira also still being considered despite going public with details of the club’s process in a bizarre TV interview.