Everton had a very productive summer transfer window and managed to bring in a number of players before last Thursday’s transfer deadline, which would stand them in good stead. One of the transfers that has gathered a lot of attention for all the wrong reasons has been the acquisition of Richarlison from Watford in a reported £44m deal. There has been a lot of criticism regarding the massive fee that the Toffees decided to splash to bring the Brazilian talent to Merseyside last month.
When the 21-year-old officially joined the Blues of Merseyside, there was an outrage on Twitter slating the transfer off as ‘absolutely ridiculous’.
https://twitter.com/timothydcurtis/status/1022037395498323968
Some supporters were also joking about the new Everton acquisition last month.
https://twitter.com/deancooper75/status/1021810444229648384
However, it just took Richarlison a match to showcase his worth after he scored a brace against Wolverhampton Wanderers at the Molineaux Stadium on Saturday evening which helped Marco Silva’s side earn a much-needed point from the opening game of the Premier League season.
We have also witnessed other clubs splash the cash to acquire players with potential which has gone on to pay dividends for them in the long-run. Everton’s local rivals, Liverpool spent £34m to bring Mohamed Salah, who previously failed to cut the mustard in English football with Chelsea. However, the Egyptian international went on to break all kinds of record in his first season at Merseyside and has become one of the best players in the world under the masterful guidance of Jurgen Klopp.
It would be foolish to think Richarlison might do the same this season but his potential is incredible, which is precisely why the Toffees have decided to pay such a significant fee. Marco Silva knows the winger well from his time at Watford and is an ideal manager to get the best out of his talents.
The Brazilian’s finish for the second Everton goal yesterday was classy and it would justify his capability at just 21 years. In the modern market, which is highly inflated, we need to get used to the fact that some clubs would need to pay over the odds if they are serious about acquiring the best talents available in the market. Otherwise, these clubs could end up like Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United, who refuse to splash the cash and have a similar looking squad from last season.
The 21-year-old has prior Premier League experience from his time at Vicarage Road where he had found the back of the net 5 times while grabbing 5 assists in 41 matches across all competitions. He is also quite versatile and can operate on either flank or as a secondary striker up top which makes him a perfect fit for the Toffees. At 21, Richarlison will only get better with age and only sky is the limit for the Brazilian talent.
Let’s see whether the South American prospect can justify his massive price-tag during his time at Goodison Park to become an Everton fan-favourite in the coming years. We are betting that in a couple of season’s time, the £44m would not feel so outrageous. After all who talks about Salah’s transfer fee being too high today?
