Alphonso Davies could have been a Premier League star had “four or five” clubs not ignored the advice of Minnesota United boss Adrian Heath to make a move for him after breaking through at MLS side the Vancouver Whitecaps. His potential was clear to see at that time, but a number of sides in England refused to take the plunge on a player that is now worth £100 million ($122m).
Former Everton star Heath, who has spent the last 14 years working in America, has revealed that he reached out to several sides regarding potential approaches for Davies, only to see those transfer recommendations fall on deaf ears.
Could Alphonso Davies have moved to the Premier League?
Davies made his professional bow for the Whitecaps at the age of 15, before going on to make a first-team debut in June 2016.
His stock soared from there, to the point that Bayern Munich were prepared to break the MLS transfer record in the summer of 2018 when snapping him up in a deal that could be worth as much as $22m (£18m).
Heath has revealed that Premier League sides could have swooped in long before then, telling the Daily Mail: “When Alphonso Davies was over here, I told four or five clubs in England they should take him but they were like ‘nah’.
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“Bayern Munich took the chance and now you'd be lucky to get change out of a £100m for him!”
Why did Premier League clubs pass on Alphonso Davies?
It has been revealed in the past that Manchester United were among those to be nudged in Davies’ direction, only to eventually decide that the Canada international left-back was not for them.
Heath believes that the standing of MLS in the eyes of many European football followers could be responsible for that, with the American game struggling to shake off a reputation as being a retirement home for ageing stars.
He added: “There's still a view that European players come here to retire.
“Maybe they could years ago, but it's not so simple now. Andrea Pirlo was no mug but he struggled and look at Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Many said he was finishing up here. If anything he got a new lease of life, he went back to AC Milan, won the Serie A title and they've just given him another contract at 40.
“You talk to Steven Gerrard, David Beckham, Pirlo or Wayne Rooney and they'll tell you the respect they have for this league.”
Davies, who saw his progress stunted slightly last season when a heart issue was discovered, has taken in 115 appearances for Bayern and is now a four-time Bundesliga title winner and the owner of a Champions League crown from 2019-20.