The summer after Leicester City won the Premier League title was a complete disaster.
Whilst Leicester only lost one key player in the shape of N’Golo Kante, they managed to blow their substantial budget on a number of flops.
Islam Slimani, the most notable recruit, joined in a record-breaking £30m deal from Sporting but he failed to live up to expectations.
Nampalys Mendy was brought in to replace Kante but really struggled early on in his City career. Ahmed Musa, Bartosz Kaputska and Luis Hernandez were all misses, too.
Head of recruitment Steve Walsh left for Everton during the window, so that certainly didn’t help proceedings.
And, in a real sliding doors moment, it’s now emerged that Walsh had a then 16-year-old gem on his radar who’s since become one of the best players in the world.
Steve Walsh was eyeing Erling Haaland in 2016
According to the Daily Mirror, Leicester’s former chief scout Steve Walsh had Erling Haaland on his radar in 2016.
The then 16-year-old striker was plying his trade with Bryne in Norway and was thought to be available for just £3.4m.
Unfortunately for Leicester, Walsh left for Everton that summer and he instead recommended the talented young striker to his Goodison Park staff.
Haaland had a four-day trial at Everton but quite remarkably, the manager at the time Ronald Koeman passed up on the opportunity to sign him despite Walsh’s eagerness to get a deal done.
Had Walsh remained at Leicester and brought Haaland to Belvoir Drive training ground instead, it appears likely he would’ve passed his trial.
Haaland now a Ballon d’Or contender
Haaland has gone on to establish himself as one of the best strikers on the planet and that’s evinced by his two Golden Boot awards since arriving to the Premier League in 2022.
In 2023, the towering centre-forward finished second in the Ballon d’Or ceremony, only behind Lionel Messi.
Quite clearly, it’s certainly a what could’ve been moment for Leicester, however, perhaps if he did join the Foxes, Jamie Vardy wouldn’t have had the same career.
It’s hard to imagine those two working as a pairing up top given they often make the same runs in behind the defence.