Adam Wharton has just sent Everton a painful reminder of another cost of delaying the takeover

A first cap for Jarrad Branthwaite. 29th clean sheet in 61st appearance for Jordan Pickford.

There was plenty of Everton pride on Monday night as England stepped up their preparations for Euro 2024 with a 3-0 win over Bosnia-Herzegovina. But there will also be a tinge of regret.

If the truth about Branthwaite’s prodigious talents has long been recognized, the cat is now well and truly out of the bag about England’s other debutant at St James’ Park.

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But, frustratingly for Everton, they will already know all about Adam Wharton. After all, the classy and deep playmaker has played against the Blues youth teams for hometown club Blackburn Rovers for years.

Blackburn knew they had a gem on their hands. And anyone who has followed his rise through the Rovers academy and seamless transition into their first team must have seen that too.

It was therefore a surprise that the only serious offer Blackburn received in January came from Crystal Palace. The £18m the Eagles paid for the 20-year-old already looks like a snip.

Wharton has excelled in the Premier League, quickly establishing himself as a key role in a young and exciting Palace side, and just one year and nine months after making his professional club debut, he has been called up in the 33-man squad for Gareth Southgate. Euro 2024 training squad.

And such was the youngster’s performance in his second-half cameo against Bosnia on Monday – his finishing was a stunning 100 per cent (36 from 36) – that there are now serious calls for him to be included in England’s last 26. team that will go to Germany at the end of this month.

And if a report from The Independent is to be believed, Germany is where Wharton could eventually end up. Bayern Munich are said to view him as their long-term solution in midfield and are weighing up a £60million summer bid.

That would represent some profit for Palace, who have no intention of selling, and provide a stark reminder of what Everton and their Premier League rivals have been missing out on.

Now, to be fair to the Blues, with their takeover saga continuing to drag on, they weren’t in a position to buy any players in January, let alone one that cost £18m. But it must have been a source of huge frustration for their recruiting team – especially the scouts who have been following Wharton since he was a kid – that the club were not in the mix for his signature.

Let’s not forget, in the not-too-distant past, Everton were experts at plucking talent from the Football League and turning them into top stars. Tim Cahill, Joleon Lescott, John Stones, Dominic Calvert-Lewin and of course Branthwaite are among the best examples.

While the Blues have also enjoyed huge success since signing players from newly-reigned Premier League clubs – as the examples of Phil Jagielka, Idrissa Gueye, James Tarkowski and Dwight McNeil attest.

It’s a crying shame, then, that the mismanagement of the club’s finances has led to the point where it can’t currently be in the conversation for a Wharton. And the situation may not improve any time soon, with manager Sean Dyche – who has done wonders given the meager transfer resources at his disposal – admitting he will be “juggling the dust” this summer if the club’s takeover does not go through will materialize.

Taking over and completing the magnificent new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock, remains Everton’s highest priority. But going forward, they need to be in a position to pounce again when a player of Wharton’s ability and potential becomes available.