Everton have had some high-profile transfer blunders across their illustrious history, both when it comes to selling, buying, and failing to acquire talent.
From Eden Hazard to Erling Haaland, and even more recently Mohammed Kudus, the Toffees are not shy from a regretful error that has seen them miss out on some of the world’s finest assets.
Well, it seems that such a trend stretches back even further, with the latest notion once again pertaining to David Moyes’ 11-year stint in the Goodison Park dugout.
As an era plagued by financial troubles, it should come as no surprise that the Scotsman was often left hampered in the transfer market.
However, in the case of Roy Keane, that was not what scuppered his potential move to Merseyside.
Speaking on the Stick to Football podcast, the Irishman outlined how he dealt with the confusing period in his career, in which Manchester United admitted they no longer wanted him. With a number of sides interested, including the side that would eventually join in Celtic, there was one key reason why Everton failed in their attempt.
Did Roy Keane nearly sign for Everton?
The former Red Devils captain noted: ‘I had that option. I remember I spoke to Everton, Bolton, a couple of other teams, but again I had that mindset, which is crazy really because a club is forcing you out the door and you feel you can’t sign for another team.
‘Everton would have been a good move for me at the time.
‘Location, family and obviously Everton, David Moyes, huge respect for him, but you end up like, Celtic was another option it was great. But I felt I couldn’t go to another English team. Isn’t that bizarre?’
How good was Roy Keane as a player?
Whilst many nowadays will tune in to watch Keane offer a blunt and entertaining outlook on weekly football games, it could be easy to forget just how good a player the 52-year-old was in his prime.
After all, he did hang up his boots having enjoyed a glittering career, in which he won seven Premier League titles, one Champions League, and a whole host of other domestic honours.
As a midfielder who adapted his game as he grew older, his willingness to completely alter his style to remain relevant and useful was startling.
Starting out as a box-crashing box-to-box midfielder at Nottingham Forest, as he aged at Old Trafford he would add a controlling aspect to his arsenal, which was already laden with an unrelenting competitiveness and aggression that helped him thrive throughout his career.
Having finished with 478 appearances for the Red Devils, Keane certainly goes down as a Premier League legend, and one of the finest to ever feature in his role.
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