After Euro 2016, France midfielder Moussa Sissoko was really hot property and Everton were desperate to land his signature.
In fact, according to a report from The Guardian, Everton actually agreed a £30m deal with Newcastle United to sign Sissoko.
The Toffees reportedly felt that the deal was all but ‘rubber-stamped’, and they had a medical booked for the Frenchman.
Ronald Koeman’s chiefs had a private jet ready to transport Sissoko to Merseyside, but the midfielder never boarded the flight.
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One year left on his deal as things stand…
That’s when Premier League rivals Tottenham Hotspur came into the mix and managed to hijack the transfer.
Spurs matched Everton’s bid on deadline day, and Sissoko travelled down to the capital and completed a deal just before the 11pm deadline.
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Moussa Sissoko admits he never wanted to join Everton
Missing out on Sissoko was a real blow for Everton as their other midfield signing, Morgan Schneiderlin, failed to make the desired impact at Goodison Park.
Speaking after the transfer collapse, Sissoko explained that he never actually wanted to join the Toffees.
“I never went to Everton,” he stated.
“It’s funny. I was watching TV, and I saw that a deal had been done with Everton and that I had signed for them.
“But I was in London, waiting to sign my contract (with Spurs). The main thing is that I signed for the club I wanted to join.
“Of course I would have liked it to have happened earlier, but now it’s done.”
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Everton ended up having a strong season
Despite the failed Sissoko transfer, it didn’t have much of an impact on their season, as they finished in seventh place.
Koeman’s men ended the campaign on 61 points, which was their second-best points total since David Moyes’ departure in 2013.
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The Toffees qualified for the Europa League, and Idrissa Gana Gueye emerged as one of the signings of the summer.
So, it probably worked out for the best that Sissoko didn’t join.
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