Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images
Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images
The summer transfer window at Finch Farm ended without that coveted striker signing to provide support to Thierno Barry, but it wasn’t through a lack of trying from Everton, as in the case of Richarlison.
Deadline day alone saw Everton unfortunate not to add a striker to the ranks. Folarin Balogun rejected Everton after his medical, and a renegotiated fee left the American striker unhappy with how he was treated in Merseyside, opting to remain at Monaco.
The collapse of this deal led David Moyes and Co. to the brief pursuit of Joshua Zirkzee from Manchester United with hours remaining in the window. Only for the Red Devils to turn this down, having been given hours to source a replacement.
Which former Everton player would you add to the current team, and why? 🤔
It has to be a striker, right?
Tottenham were annoyed that Richarlison didn’t join Everton
Among other forward options linked during the summer was Richarlison, who was pencilled in for a return to the Toffees in the summer transfer window.
Everton couldn’t agree personal terms with Richarlison, and this meant that the Brazilian remained at Tottenham, where he is yet to play a minute, having been omitted from their Premier League squad. Now, speaking on the Here We Go podcast, Fabrizio Romano has shared that the failed move to Everton left Spurs annoyed.
“In the final days of the window, Tottenham were not happy when Richarlison did not take the opportunity to go back to Everton.
“Tottenham, in that case, were going to sign Iliman Ndiaye, so the two deals were linked: Ndiaye to Tottenham and, at that point, Richarlison to Everton.
“The Brazilian didn’t want to take it, in terms of personal decision. He’s absolutely free to do whatever he wants, and so he didn’t believe that kind of solution was the best one in that moment, so the deal didn’t happen.”
A return to Everton, years on from his £50m transfer, would have been the remedy to a career that has quickly gone off the rails for Richarlison, but with wages his sole priority, there is no promise it would be a happy reunion.
Spurs are now stuck paying Richarlison until January at least, when he will once again be on the market for a move. But Richarlison to Everton looks unlikely due to the massive wages he will almost certainly demand, while there is no guarantee that he is better than or starts over Barry anyway.
Everton do need attacking depth, but a rusty Richarlison, who hasn’t played in six months, probably isn’t the right choice for a January addition. Instead, there should be more of a long-term view, finding a proper talent on the way up in their career to rotate with Barry.
Troy Parrott, anyone?