David Moyes says missing out on Michael Essien when Everton manager ranks of one of his major transfer frustrations.
The former Blues boss was tracking the Ghanian midfielder when he was at Bastia and Lyon but says attempts to buy him failed.
Everton would try and land Essien again, on loan in 2012 when he was at Chelsea, but were unable to clinch the deal.
Speaking as a guest on beIN SPORTS’s Keys & Gray Show, Moyes was asked to name the players he came close to signing but didn't - and Essien was top of this list.
He said: “One of them would be Michael Essien [to Everton]
“Toni Kroos would certainly be the one [to Manchester United]
“At that time we [Manchester United] were very much after Gareth Bale and Cesc Fabregas but I’ve got to say prior to that, at Everton, we were really close to close to a lot of good players. We just couldn’t quite get them over the line on several occasions”
Moyes was also asked if he had any regrets about leaving Goodison for the Manchester United job in 2013.
"I think I’ll always look back and regret leaving Everton because of the team and the players I had built at that time, but I’ll never be regretful for joining Manchester United or doing what I’ve done," he said.
