Everton should cash in on Richarlison while they can, and other expensive stars
Everton should embrace the transfer interest in the big-money stars in the squad as they have let the side down and the Toffees need the money.
Goal reported this week that Manchester United want to take Richarlison from Goodison Park, while 90min relayed that the Brazilian is looking to leave to benefit his 2022 World Cup chances, with PSG and Arsenal interested
The Gunners are long-term admirers of Dominic Calvert-Lewin, with Express journalist Ryan Taylor confirming on Twitter this week that he is still one of the candidates to arrive at the Emirates this summer.
Neither of these two, nominally the club’s primary goal scorers, have produced the required output this season, a large part of the reason why there is only a gap of three points to the relegation zone.
The England forward scored in the opening three games of the season, but hasn’t found the net since as he has suffered with injury.
The Brazilian has managed four goals and provide three assists all year and has struggled to reach his level.
Needs must
Fans are excited by arrivals not departures, but the fact is that if this pair can fetch a big price the club should cash in.
The Mail said the club had tagged Calvert-Lewin at £60million in January.
They might struggle to reach that due to his difficulties this year, but it isn’t impossible for an English player with years on his side.
The Sun claims Barcelona and Real Madrid are also in for Richarlison so a bidding war could drive his price through the roof.
Years of profligate spending on expensive flops under Farhad Moshiri lead to Rafael Benitez looking in the bargain basement in the summer, but this season it has been those budget incomings, and a homegrown youngster who have stood out.
Anthony Gordon, Demarai Gray and even Andros Townsend have outperformed their illustrious teammates.
The club may as well shift them as they aren’t making the difference, ease some financial strain, and lean into the same sort of signings they made last year.
TuttoMercato put forward Tottenham’s interest in England keeper Jordan Pickford in January and could be another worthwhile exit.
He gets unfair criticism, but Asmir Begovic, another low-cost arrival, is a reasonable back-up and recorded the only clean sheet in the league for a month against Newcastle.
It’s not where anyone wants to be, but the club are where they are, and it would be a much cheaper way of operating, and can’t be much worse on the pitch than it has been anyway.
In other Everton news, a major report of activity at UEFA means the club are at risk of being shut out of the upper echelons long-term.
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