There can be no question that Erling Haaland is right up there with the most high-profile prodigies in European football at the moment.

The Norway international really found his name in the spotlight after enjoying a stellar start to the season with RB Salzburg, including scoring a hat-trick against KRC Genk in the Champions League.

The 19-year-old was understandably linked with a move away, with Manchester United reported to be interested in bringing him to Old Trafford. But in the end, Borussia Dortmund managed to convince him to join them in Germany.

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But according to a report from ESPN, things could have been oh-so different had Everton made a different decision a couple of years. Journalist Mark Ogden has claimed that back in 2018, the Toffees had Haaland on trial at the club’s Finch Farm training ground.

However, when Haaland’s team at the time, Molde, wanted €10m for him, Everton “instead opted to back the potential of Dominic Calvert-Lewin”.

Now whilst the latter is beginning to show signs of being an impressive player for the Merseyside club, especially under Carlo Ancelotti – he has scored eight times in 12 games – there is no doubt Everton have missed out on a real superstar.

Of course, it’s difficult to suggest that Haaland would have gone on to be the type of prodigy he is right now, and hindsight is obviously a beautiful thing. But taking a gamble on unproven youngsters is often the key behind finding the next young talent who can dominate world football.

Instead, on current form, Everton have quite clearly hedged their bets on the wrong player. Haaland has racked up a quite incredible 40 goals in just 33 games across all competitions this season, including nine in eight in the Bundesliga for Dortmund.

ESPN’s report is just an Everton transfer disaster that must leave people desperately wondering ‘what if’.

Meanwhile, Everton must sign this star who was hailed by Carlo Ancelotti.