Everton turned down the chance to sign Napoli defender Kim Min-jae back when the South Korean international played for Turkish side Fenerbahçe.
The ‘incredible’ centre-half was recommended to the club by former scout Carlo Jacomuzzi, who has revealed that Everton ‘noticed him’ some time ago but could not meet the valuation.
Min-jae’s signature was eventually secured by Napoli for £18m in the summer of 2022, and is now tipped to join Manchester United in a deal worth £52m according to Corriere dello Sport.
Indeed, Everton missed out on a top talent with Kim Min-jae, but things could have been very different according to Jacomuzzi, who spoke to Radio Marte in Italy.
He stated: “Kim next at United? At Everton we already had all his videos, in England they have noticed him for some time.
“In Turkey he came into the limelight, but before in the Premier there were doubts about the money it would take to buy him.
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“After the Scudetto with Napoli, the Korean has shown that he has reached an enviable level of play: he can do a bit of everything and it’s fitting that he is liked in England.
“He is the typical player, perfect for the Premier League. Liverpool’s van Dijk resembles him, for example.”
Everton missing out on Min-jae only adds more frustration to a fanbase desperate for quality signings
The South Korean international has been immense at the back for Napoli this season, as Luciano Spalletti guided them to their first league title since 1990.
Everton passing up the opportunity to sign such a high-profile player will of course be yet another source of great frustration at Goodison Park.
No doubt there will have been other clubs to pass on the 26-year-old, but given Everton’s precarious league position, a defender of Min-jae’s quality could have been an enormous asset to the Blues.