Everton’s transfer business in the Farhad Moshiri era was good, bad and ugly to say the least – but one promising deal that was curtailed early looks like a huge regret after an incident in the international break.
Farhad Moshiri became Everton’s joint-owner in 2016, injecting much-needed funds into the club in a bid to return them to their former glories. Whilst their previous transfer business had begun his tenure in a strong manner, further deals down the line derailed that Premier League progress under Ronald Koeman.
A number of failed transfers such as Cenk Tosun, Davy Klaassen, Morgan Schneiderlin and more ate into transfer budget, leading to FFP issues later down the line.
But one relatively cheap deal that Everton pulled the plug on early was Nikola Vlasic – and selling him for just £14million at an early £4million profit looks to be a regret for the Toffees.
Nikola Vlasic celebrates scoring for Everton
Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images
Nikola Vlasic scored on international duty for Croatia to highlight Everton failures
Everton only got a season out of Nikola Vlasic, but he’s gone on to have a solid career in football in Russia, England and now in Serie A, where he currently plies his trade.
A regular for Croatia, Vlasic properly came into the national team in 2018, and he’s been a prominent figure ever since including missing just five games from September 2019 through to October 2023 before injuries.
That continued with two goals in the World Cup qualifiers this November.
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A clincher against the Faroe Islands in Rijeka saw them beat the Nordic minnows 3-1, and Monday saw his name in lights as Vlasic scored a late thunderbolt against Montenegro to settle their unbeaten status in qualification Group L with a 3-2 win after being 2-0 down.
Vlasic is now into double figures for goals for Croatia in just 60 caps, and he’ll likely play a part for the national team in the summer after their qualification for the major tournament.
It’s a move that Everton will have come to regret. For years, they’ve struggled with chance creation and goals, and although Vlasic wasn’t at his best in his time on Merseyside, he’s had years to grow and show exactly what he’s worth.
Nikola Vlasic’s Everton sale was baffling even at the time
Everton signed Nikola Vlasic for around £10million in 2017, after he’d impressed then-manager Ronald Koeman when Everton faced his former side Hajduk Split in the 2017-18 Europa League.
Vlasic was just 19 at the time of his transfer, and he made a decent number of appearances for the Toffees in his first season in the Premier League, starting in seven matches as the Toffees finished eighth in the Premier League table.
Being a key player for Croatia’s under-21 side that season, as well as playing a key role for Everton in their disappointing Europa League campaign, Vlasic was only 20 heading into the following campaign.
Club Appearances Goal contributions
Hajduk Split 120 33
Everton 19 3
CSKA Moscow 108 54
West Ham 31 3
Torino 115 28
Nikola Vlasic’s club career stats
However, he was sold to CSKA Moscow, somewhat abruptly.
He scored against Real Madrid and recorded an assist in the return leg at the Bernabeu the following season as the Russian outfit land a group stage double over the Champions League giants, before a move to West Ham.
He’s since played a starting role for Torino, and Everton could have done with his creativity behind the striker until their signing of Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall this summer. His sale was baffling having had barely any time to excel at Goodison Park.
Abdoulaye Doucoure’s exit this summer paved the way for Dewsbury-Hall to shine but Vlasic could have rivalled the Senegalese for minutes over the past five years with ease.