In a recent episode of Football Daily, former Everton player Lennon revealed a little-known fact: Everton tried to bring Harland into the fold when he was a teenager of 15 or 16, however, the deal was dead in the water due to objections from the club's owner Moshiri.
Lennon recalled a chance encounter with Harland and Everton sporting director Walsh in the physiotherapy room. Walsh excitedly introduced him to Harland and mentioned his father, the legendary Alf Harland, who had played for Leeds United. Although Lennon was unfamiliar with Harland at the time, he intuited that the young player had unrivaled potential. Sadly, however, Harland did not become a member of Everton as he had promised, and instead chose a different career path. Lennon revealed that Everton had the opportunity to acquire Harland for between €2 million and €3 million, but the offer was ruthlessly rejected by Moshiri. Now, Harland has grown into one of the top strikers in world football, having moved to Manchester City in 2022 for a whopping €60 million. According to the German Transfer Market, Harland's valuation has soared to €200 million, making him one of the hottest stars in football today.
Looking back on this history, one can't help but lament Everton's loss of this rising star. If Moshiri had given his nod, Everton could have added a world-class striker to their squad, and Harland's career might have gone in a different direction. However, history is not hypothetical and Everton can only hope to be more astute in the future and seize every opportunity to bring in new stars.
