Everton have made some pretty notorious transfer errors over the past few years, in an effort to return to the top.
Everton owner Farhad Moshiri, who officially took over the club in 2016, promised big things to the fanbase, with his riches seemingly endless.
However, he was frustratingly lacking in a long-term strategy, and so a scattergun approach was taken. Naturally, this fell flat.
They are still struggling to overcome those horrors even today.
Perhaps even more frustrating than those they did sign, to little success, is the big names that they have actually missed out on more recently.
Everton came so close to signing Victor Boniface in 2023
After all, with funds so low and the Premier League‘s PSR rules breathing down their neck, every transfer they have made has been met with intense scrutiny.
Cutting costs wherever possible, Kevin Thelwell’s talent identification has been top-notch.
It must therefore be so frustrating to see these targets, which Everton have not been able to afford, go on to thrive elsewhere.
One particular example is Victor Boniface, who the Toffees found themselves embroiled in a transfer saga across the 2023 summer.
Journalist Sacha Tavolieri even wrote: ‘We are not yet at the stage of formal negotiations but I understand #EvertonFC took initial information on player’s side to glimpse the possibilities of a deal for Victor Boniface.
‘There is actually absolutely NO offer for the Nigerian striker on the table of #USG even though the player’s open to a move.’
As we now know, the Nigeria international would instead join Bayer Leverkusen, costing the German side just £15m.
How good is Victor Boniface now?
It’s fair to say that Boniface has made Everton rue that mistake with his recent performances under Xabi Alonso’s leadership, spearheading a supremely successful year where they won the German title without losing a game.
And not only was the 23-year-old a regular goalscorer and creative threat, but the skill he displayed would have been appreciated at Goodison Park.
Especially given how Iliman Ndiaye is already worshipped by the Everton faithful for his flamboyance.
Already Boniface has four Bundesliga goals this season and another in the Champions League, on course to comfortably surpass his tally of 21 goals and ten assists across all competitions last season.
It’s therefore no surprise that his value has skyrocketed too, with Everton failing to sign him for just £15m and now Chelsea interested in a £70m move for him.
Countryman William Troost-Ekong has even branded him ‘world class‘ recently too; a claim few would refute.
Boniface is just one of many high-profile transfer missteps made by this club. Everton also failed to sign Viktor Gyokeres that summer too.
They will hope for a far brighter future under Dan Friedkin’s rule.
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