I failed a trial at Everton but am now the 2nd most valuable player in Europe

Everton could do with a prolific goalscorer at the moment.

Only Southampton, who sit rock bottom of the Premier League, have netted fewer than Everton’s tally of 14 with just 11 goals, as Sean Dyche watches the likes of Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Beto struggle.

Position	Team	Played MP	Won W	Drawn D	Lost L	For GF	Against GA	Diff GD	Points Pts
15	EvertonEverton	14	3	5	6	14	21	-7	14

The Goodison Park faithful must long for a lethal marksman – something they have not truly had since the days of Romelu Lukaku on Merseyside – although Everton actually turned down a man who eventually went on to become the deadliest striker on the planet.

Erling Haaland failed a trial at Everton

Yes, you read that correctly – Erling Haaland once failed a trial at Everton.

It was Ian Atkins – Head of European Recruitment at Everton between 2012 and 2016 – who told the Liverpool Echo about this tale, revealing in 2021: “Brian King was really excited about this kid.

“He’d watched Haaland a lot and rated him really highly. He gets on to the club and manages to get him in for four days with the Academy so that the coaches can have a look at him and see what they think.

“This is when Haaland is at Bryne, before the Molde move, so he’s raw but he’s got all these great attributes you don’t often see in someone so young.

“He comes in for four days and the Academy decided he wasn’t good enough, something that Brian King didn’t agree with. He thought there was a real talent in there but they didn’t agree. He was one that got away for Everton, but you get that in football. I think Haaland would have suited the English game, though.”

As you will know, Haaland, who Barcelona want, has since risen to become the best No.9 around today, remarkably scoring 108 goals in just 119 appearances for Manchester City – winning two Premier League titles, the UEFA Champions League, the FIFA Club World Cup, the FA Cup and several other trophies.

As such, the Norway international is now valued at €242m (£200m) by the CIES Football Observatory – making him the second most valuable footballer on the planet behind Jude Bellingham.

Sean Dyche keen on a new frontman in Yuri Alberto

As aforesaid, Everton have scored just 11 goals in 14 Premier League outings so far this season – a tally Dyche is keen to improve with the addition of a new striker.

TBR Football understand Everton want Yuri Alberto from Corinthians – along with West Ham, Nottingham Forest and Newcastle – after the South American scored 31 goals in all competitions for the Brazilian giants last season.

It will take some effort for the Brazil international to emulate Haaland in English football – but his tally for Corinthians suggests he would be a fine addition at Goodison Park nonetheless.