'Teenage Erling Haaland once visited Everton training ground, but deal fell apart'

Updated: 22 Dec, 2024 • 0 • min read

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'Erling Haaland once visited Everton training ground, but deal fell apart'

Everton had Erling Haaland visit the club's training ground as a teenager, only for ex-owner Farhad Moshiri to reject any potential transfer.

Haaland has netted an impressive 76 goals in 82 Premier League games since joining Manchester City from Borussia Dortmund back in 2022.

However, the 24-year-old could have been plying his trade in England much sooner.

Steve Walsh, who was Everton's director of football between 2016 and 2018, had arranged for Haaland to join the Toffees.

But ex-Everton owner Moshiri, who this week completed his sale of the club to the Friedkin Group, opted not to approve the transfer.

READ MORE: Everton passed up €4m deal to sign teenage Erling Haaland

Speaking on the Football Daily Podcast, former Everton winger Aaron Lennon recalled:

I remember Erling Haaland walking in the building with Steve Walsh coming up to me in the physio room.

Steve Walsh introduced him to me like, "Oh look Aaron, we've got Haaland. You know his Dad, Alfie? The Leeds boy. Hopefully we're going to have him here." And I was like, "Oh wow, I have not heard much of him."

I think he was 15 or 16-year-old and, never seen him again. I think they could have had him for two or three million and I think Moshiri didn't sign off on that.

Could you imagine? Erling Haaland would have signed for Everton.

This would have been a significant missed opportunity for Everton, as Haaland has since become one of the most prolific goalscorers in world football.

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