ON HIS WAYNE? ... Rooney has been linked with a move to Spain this summer
And should the Manchester United striker make the shock switch, he would be the latest in a relatively short list of English players to ply their trade in Spain.
SunSport has delved into the archives to bring you 10 stars who left these shores to try their luck in La Liga.
Were they tapas the class or a paella rubbish? Find out by scrolling through below and reading our hit, miss or maybe verdicts.
LAURIE CUNNINGHAM
Real Madrid (1979-84), Sporting Gijon (loan, 1983-84), Rayo Vallecano (1986-87, 1988-89)
CUNNING PLAN ... Laurie Cunningham was the first British player to sign for Real Madrid
And he earned a historic move to Real Madrid in 1979 for £950,000 — the first British player to switch to the Bernabeu.
Cunningham scored twice on his debut and helped his new club win a league and cup double in his first season.
His second campaign was hindered by a broken toe and his relationship with the club soured after aggravating his injury at a disco.
Cunningham developed a playboy reputation and though he played in the 1981 European Cup final defeat to Liverpool, that was to be as good as it got.
He later had a loan spell at Sporting Gijon before two stints at second tier outfit Rayo Vallecano.
Cunningham was tragically killed in a car crash in Madrid in 1989.
GARY LINEKER
Barcelona (1986-89)
HAPPY CAMPER ... Gary Lineker shone at the Nou Camp with Barcelona
He was signed by boss Terry Venables for £2.8million and would be joined by Mark Hughes from Manchester United.
Lineker was an instant hit, scoring 21 goals in 41 games and even bagging a hat-trick against Real Madrid.
He won the Copa del Rey and the European Cup Winners’ Cup while at the Nou Camp.
But he fell out of favour under manager Johan Cruyff towards the end of his three-year spell and eventually left to sign for Tottenham.
DALIAN ATKINSON
Real Sociedad (1990-91)
REAL DEAL ... Dalian Atkinson moved to Real Sociedad for £1.7million
He signed for Real Sociedad for a then huge fee of £1.7m, along with countryman Kevin Richardson.
The pair joined Ireland’s John Alridge who, a year earlier, had become the first non-Basque player to ever play for the club.
Atkinson had relative success in La Liga, scoring 12 goals in 29 games.
But like Richardson, he failed to settle and the duo both returned to England with Aston Villa after just one season.
STEVE McMANAMAN
Real Madrid (1999-2003)
MAC ATTACK ... Steve McManaman enjoyed four years at Real Madrid
And in just his first season he scored a spectacular volley and was named man of the match in Los Blancos’ 3-0 win over Valencia in the Champions League final.
Despite his immediate impact, McManaman soon fell down Real’s pecking order as the Galacticos’ policy was introduced and Luis Figo, Zinedine Zidane and Ronaldo all came to the club.
The England winger, though, was determined to fight for his place and did feature in another Champions League win at Hampden Park in 2002.
McManaman finally departed to Manchester City when David Beckham signed, but he left with a glittering CV.
MARK DRAPER
Rayo Vallecano (loan, 2000)
OFF THE MARK ... Mark Draper struggled on loan at Rayo Vallecano
A SURPRISE name on the list is that of the former England Under-21 midfielder.
Draper had been a regular at Aston Villa, won the League Cup in 1996 and even earned a Three Lions call up.But after falling out of favour in the 1999-2000 season, he was shipped out for a short-term loan at Rayo Vallecano.
Draper played just four games for the La Liga side in January 2000, although did manage one goal.
He eventually signed for Southampton and boasts a role Notts County’s kit man on his post-playing days CV.
STAN COLLYMORE
Real Oviedo (2001)
COLLYWOBBLES ... Stan Collymore flopped at Real Oviedo
STAN THE MAN’S 10th and last professional club was lowly Spanish outfit Real Oviedo.
Collymore joined them on a four-year deal from Bradford in January 2001 and was mobbed by fans on his arrival.His first two appearances were as second-half subs but he was soon dropped and ordered to get fit.
Collymore played just once more before he decided to announce his retirement after just 34 days at the club.
Oviedo were relegated that season after 13 years in the top division and sued the striker for breach of contract.
DAVID BECKHAM
Real Madrid (2003-07)
BECK IN THE BIG TIME ... David Beckham starred for Real Madrid after his switch from Man Utd
Beckham scored on his home league debut after just 126 seconds and quickly became a regular in a three-man midfield alongside Zinedine Zidane and Luis Figo.
In his four years at the club, Real changed four presidents and five managers — all of which had different opinions on Becks.
But he remained an integral part of the side throughout his stint at the Bernabeu.
Beckham stunned the football world when he announced in January 2007 that he would be leaving to join LA Galaxy that summer.
Manager Fabio Capello dropped him, but the ex-England captain soon won him back round and he bowed out by helping Real win La Liga — his first league title in his four years at the club.
MICHAEL OWEN
Real Madrid (2004-05)
TAKING THE MICK ... Michael Owen scored 14 goals at Real Madrid but rarely started
The England striker took a while to find his feet in Spain and had to wait until October to score his first goal — a Champions League winner against Dynamo Kiev.
But Owen then bagged his first La Liga strike against Valencia and enjoyed a run of five goals in seven games.
The former Kop idol, though, was left frustrated at his lack of starts despite his dazzling form.
And despite ending the season with 13 league goals, Owen was left with no choice but to return to England with Newcastle after just one year abroad.
JONATHAN WOODGATE
Real Madrid (2004-07)
WOOD YOU BELIEVE IT? ... Jonathan Woodgate had a torrid time with Real Madrid
But Woodgate was crippled by injury and sat out the entire first season at the Bernabeu.
When he did eventually make his debut in September 2005 it was one to forget, as he netted an own goal and was later sent off.
Woodgate did score in the right end in a Champions League defeat to Rosenborg and began to establish himself as a first team player as the season went on.
But injuries were again to be his downfall and he moved to Middlesbrough on a season-long loan in August 2006 before signing a permanent deal with his hometown club the following year.
JERMAINE PENNANT
Real Zaragoza (2009-10)
BAD JERM ... Jermaine Pennant had a tough year at Real Zaragoza
He signed a three-year deal with Real Zaragoza but despite starting the first game of the La Liga season, the winger never settled.
With the team struggling for form, Pennant’s own displays had come under scrutiny.
But the former Arsenal youngster did not help himself by turning up late for training three times in two weeks.
Pennant was sent home on the third occasion and never played for the club again — signing a short-term deal with Stoke in August 2010.
