Everton have missed out on a number of top players over the years.
Back in 2021, Everton were so close to signing Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, and now he’s gone on to become one of the best wingers on the planet at Paris Saint-Germain.
The Toffees also tried to sign Alexander Isak for around £14m when he was a teenager, but missed out to Borussia Dortmund.
Even as recently as 2024, Sean Dyche wanted Scott McTominay, and now he’s one of the best players in Serie A with Napoli.
Here is another what could’ve been transfer that actually could’ve involved Tom Cannon leaving in a swap deal.
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Everton considered signing Adam Wharton in swap deal
Quite remarkably, back in 2023, Everton actually held talks with Blackburn Rovers over a swap deal for Adam Wharton.
The Mail Plus reported that Dyche and his chiefs were considering sending Tom Cannon and perhaps even Ellis Sims to Blackburn in exchange for their highly rated midfielder.
Ultimately, that deal never transpired, and the two Everton strikers ended up joining Leicester and Coventry, respectively.
Wharton stayed put at the Championship outfit until January 2024 and then joined Crystal Palace in a £22m transfer.
Since then, the former Everton target has established himself as one of the Premier League’s best midfielders and has been linked with a £100m move to Manchester United.
Everton’s summer business in 2023
Instead of signing Wharton, Everton ended up spending most of their budget on two strikers, Beto and Youssef Chermiti.
They cost the club a combined £45m and neither have really worked out, in fact, Chermiti has already been sold to Rangers.
Arnaut Danjuma, Ashley Young and Jack Harrison also joined that window, so it wasn’t the most inspiring summer for the Toffees.
Although, the club were still hamstrung by PSR issues and had to raise cash to avoid breaching the regulations.
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