Credit: Imago

Evan Lloyd

Sun 14 September 2025 19:15, UK

Everton could have signed two-time Premier League Golden Boot winner Erling Haaland for just £5million in 2018.

Haaland sent Jack Grealish a message after the latter won the Premier League player of the month award for August, but the duo could have been playing together at the Hill Dickinson Stadium if a different decision had been made.

Everton signed Thierno Barry from Villarreal in a deal worth around £27million this summer, but the Frenchman is yet to make an impression on David Moyes’ team.

Instead, the Toffees have been left with a outlying question over the position at the head of their attack, with their other option also failing to impress at times.

Beto missed a great chance to put Everton ahead against Aston Villa on Saturday, with the striker failing to follow up his strong performance against Wolves before the international break.

Everton thought Erling Haaland was too expensive

Haaland has been nothing short of a phenom since his breakthrough onto the European scene.

The striker netted 13 goals in just 15 Bundesliga games in his first season after moving to Borussia Dortmund, and 22 in 24 in his final season.

That attracted the interest of clubs throughout Europe, with Manchester City eventually winning the race for the Norway international in 2022.

And Haaland has broken all manner of record since making the switch, scoring 90 goals in just 101 Premier League games.

The striker has started this season in stunning fashion, too, scoring twice against Manchester United on Sunday to make it five goals from his opening four.

But Everton could have signed the forward, described as “unstoppable” by Duncan Alexander, before he made his initial move to RB Salzburg, the Daily Mail reported in 2022.

Haaland, 18 at the time, had been offered to the Toffees for just £5m, but decision-makers at Goodison Park thought the fee was too much for a player who would have joined the Under-23s.

• Read more: Everton star who almost left in the summer is now indispensable to David Moyes

Everton opted for £80m trio in 2018

Everton signed several players in 2018, with their biggest moves being for Richarlison, Yerry Mina and Lucas Digne.

Richarlison, 21 at the time, was bought from Watford for an initial £35m, and, in fairness, the Brazilian was ultimately a good signing for the Toffees.

In his time at Goodison Park, the forward scored 53 goals and provided 15 assists, before earning Everton £60m when he moved to Tottenham.

There is no guarantee that Haaland would have been a success at Everton. The striker was raw, and needed the guidance that helped him develop in Austria.

But for fans of the Toffees, and indeed the makers of the decision that saw the club look elsewhere, the 25-year-old’s dominance over the world stage will always leave a burrowing thought – what if?

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