Everton have become famed for getting things wrong in the transfer market in recent times, with one notable misjudgement having been their failure to get a deal over the line for Kieran Tierney back in 2018.

The marauding left-back had caught the eye under Brendan Rodgers at Celtic after rising through the ranks with his boyhood club, with the logical next step having appeared a move south of the border to a Premier League side.

As per reports at the time, the Toffees were eyeing a deal for the Scotland international in order to replace an ageing Leighton Baines, although eventually walked away from negotiations after failing to agree a fee.

According to BBC Sport journalist Alasdair Laymont, the Merseysiders had been willing to offer as much as £25m for his services, although the Glasgow outfit held firm on their star asset, with the player himself also making no obvious intentions to leave Celtic Park.

As it proved, Silva and co eventually turned their attentions towards then Barcelona man Lucas Digne that same summer, while Tierney would wait a further year before eventually joining Arsenal on a £25m deal on deadline day in August 2019.

Despite what was a largely promising spell for Digne at Goodison Park, prior to his move to Aston Villa back in January, the decision to opt against making the move for the current Gunners man remains a major blunder, such has been his impact in north London.

The 24-year-old has endured his injury issues - and is currently out for the remainder of the season - during his three-year stint at the Emirates, although when on the pitch his impact has been vital to the club's top-four push so far this season.

His current boss Mikel Arteta previously suggested that the £28.8m-rated man "transmits every value that I would like to transmit to the club and our fans", such is his excellent attitude and work rate, while pundit Gary Neville also labelled him a "brilliant threat going forward" last year.

Prior to his injury this term, the £110k-per-week star had chipped in with one goal and three assists in 22 Premier League games, while defensively he also averaged 2.2 clearances, 8.0 tackles and 0.7 interceptions per game in the top-flight.

Such form has reportedly seen the 32-cap international - who has been dubbed a "warrior" by Ashley Cole - linked with a summer move to Real Madrid, with the player continuing to impress under Arteta's tutelage.

As for Everton, the club inexplicably sold Digne back in January at the request of Rafa Benitez, only to then sack the Spaniard a matter of days later, with new left-back addition Vitaliy Mykolenko still finding his feet in English football under Frank Lampard.

The decision to pull out of a deal for Tierney will continue to wrangle with the club's supporters, particularly as they teeter towards potential relegation, while the player himself surges towards Champions League qualification. It is simply a case now of what could have been...

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