Everton passed on £3m Haaland & £20m double deal for Maguire & Robertson – Walsh

Everton passed up the chance to sign Erling Haaland, Andy Robertson and Harry Maguire, the club’s former director of football, Steve Walsh, has revealed.

Questions have been asked of the Toffees’ recruitment business in recent times, with big money invested at Goodison Park.

Value has not been found in all of those deals, while some serious talent has been allowed to slip the net.

Walsh, whose recruitment helped Leicester to a stunning Premier League title triumph back in 2015-16, was acquired to help bring the best talent to Merseyside at a reasonable price.

He claims to have lined up several options that, in hindsight, would have been shrewd additions for Everton had agreements not been snubbed.

Teenage sensation Haaland is now wanted by leading sides across Europe after becoming a prolific presence for Red Bull Salzburg.

Robertson and Maguire are star turns at Liverpool and Manchester United respectively, with the former considered to be a world-class left-back and the latter the most expensive defender on the planet after making an £80 million ($98m) switch to Old Trafford.

Walsh says he could have taken both to Everton for a fraction of that price during their days at Hull City, with a man who severed ties with the Toffees in 2018 telling The Athletic: “While I was at Everton, I offered them Andrew Robertson and Harry Maguire deals, when they were at Hull, and it was worth £20 million for the pair.

“Everton wouldn’t take them.

“I had a deal done for Jonny Evans too before he came to Leicester, but again they wouldn’t take him.

“Erling Haaland, the striker with Salzburg, I had him and his dad at the club with a deal done for €4 million. The club wouldn’t back me.”

Everton will now be cursing those transfer calls, with the Toffees left to reflect on what could have been.

Those that have been drafted into their squad have only been able to collect 14 points from 12 Premier League games in 2019-20, with that return leaving Marco Silva’s side perched just three places and six points above the relegation zone.