It’s been quite a week and a bit for Coleen and Wayne Rooney as they try to fix their marriage following his drink-driving arrest in another woman’s car.
The latest report in the ongoing crisis has suggested Coleen wants Wayne to take a period of “sympathetic leave” from Everton to work on their marriage.
Read more: Wayne reportedly begs Coleen to stay with him
Wayne joined Everton from Manchester United this summer and if boss Ronald Koeman gives his approval to the request for time off, it’d mean he’d miss a series of games.
A source told The Sun: “Coleen wants them to get away as a family.
“She thinks it’s important to get away from the area and try and spend some time together – him, her and the kids.
“In the midst of it all they haven’t been able to do that and, to work through their problems, she feels they need to get away.
“She’s asked him to speak to his manager Ronald Koeman about having some ‘sympathetic’ leave.”
But the friend revealed they’re not sure Koeman will grant the leave, adding: “There’s another international break next month, so [Wayne] might have to wait until then.
“He’s in the wrong headspace to play and the pressure is showing.
“If Wayne wants to save his marriage, it’s time to put the football in second place.”
Reports emerged over the weekend that the footballer had been begging his pregnant wife to stay with him and make their relationship work.
It also alleged Wayne has insisted he would never have done anything with office worker Laura Simpson, whose car he was driving when pulled over by police.
A source told The Sun on Sunday: “Wayne has pleaded his innocence of doing anything with Laura and told Coleen he will do anything to keep the family together.
“He has told her that she and the kids are his world.
“But it has been very tense all week and Coleen has been making it clear she hasn’t decided whether to forgive him.”
Wayne, 31, also reportedly claimed he was just trying to help Laura out by driving her home.
Neither Wayne nor Coleen has spoken out about the situation – but the same can’t be said for Laura…
She told Mail Online she shared a kiss with Wayne after they met on a night out and said she believed they would have slept together if police had not stopped the car.
“We had a kiss, a hug and some banter, harmless fun. I’m not a marriage wrecker,” she said.
“I can understand [Coleen] being mad with [Wayne] over the arrest. That was stupid and, on reflection, he should never have driven my car, but he didn’t seem to be over the limit.
“But she can’t blame him for anything that happened with me, because nothing did really – although we would’ve ended up [sleeping together], no doubt.”