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Everton icon Duncan Ferguson has revealed the club passed up the opportunity to sign Erling Haaland for just £2million.
The 22-year-old has been the standout player in Europe this season following his move to Manchester City from Borussia Dortmund in the summer.
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Haaland is leading the European Golden Shoe race with 17 Premier League strikes, while he has also scored five goals in the Champions League.
And Toffees supporters will be left frustrated by Ferguson’s revelation that he could have been banging them in at Goodison Park instead.
Ferguson, who worked as a coach at Everton after retiring at the club, explained Haaland was on trial at Finch Farm when he was 15 or 16.
The Norway international had arrived from boyhood club Bryne after being tipped off about him by scout Brian King – their top talent-spotter in Scandanavia.
But Everton turned down the chance to secure his services as they ‘didn’t think it was the right move’.
Speaking on William Hill and Footy Accumulators’ No Tippy Tappy Football Podcast Ferguson said: “I mean my God, what a phenomenal player Erling Haaland is.
“He’s going to be incredible, isn’t he? But believe it or not, I’ll tell you a story, he was in at Everton.
“His dad [Alf-Inge] had brought him in at Everton and they never signed him.
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“He was brought in at about 15 or 16 years of age and the team he was with at the time wanted a couple of million quid for him and Everton wouldn’t buy him.
“Everton didn’t think it was the right move for them at the time.
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“I’m pretty sure that if his dad brought him to Everton he’d have brought him to Leeds because his dad played for Leeds and Manchester City.
“I’m pretty sure he would have brought him to a few clubs around that age.”
Haaland, who missed City’s 1-0 win at Leicester on Saturday, will also be absent for the club’s Champions League clash with Sevilla on Wednesday due to a foot injury.
Asked whether Haaland is in contention to feature against the Spanish side in his pre-match press conference, boss Pep Guardiola said: “No, tomorrow not available.”
He added: “He feels better. Comparing to Saturday, Sunday, Monday, every day feels better.
“Still not 100 per cent, we don’t want to take a risk. Hopefully we have him against Fulham.”
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