Richarlison Everton exit hinges on Gabriel Jesus move from Manchester City
Richarlison has “serious possibilities to leave” Everton and he would like to stay in the Premier League, according to Fabrizio Romano.
The Brazilian spoke this week while on international duty and heavily hinted he was looking to move on, which Romano clarified on Twitter was the case, as an April agent change was made for that reason.
While he says there is nothing imminent on the future of either the 25-year-old or his attacking teammate Dominic Calvert-Lewin, he believes that the chances of “the Pigeon” moving are significant and hinge on where his international teammate Gabriel Jesus goes from Manchester City – the likes of Arsenal and Newcastle have been linked to both.
Romano wrote in his Caught Offside column: “There is still no close or advanced negotiation for either Dominic Calvert-Lewin or Richarlison, it will take time to understand their future.
“As things stand, Richarlison has serious possibilities to leave the club: the Brazilian is open to a new solution in the event of offers while having maximum respect for Everton, he would like to stay in the Premier League and changed agents in April precisely in view of a possible transfer already this summer.
“I think his future may be linked to the choice of Gabriel Jesus, a sort of “domino” of Brazilian strikers in the coming weeks.”
Painful
However well disposed the fans and the player feel towards each other right now, and there is great respect due to the job Richarlison did in the final weeks of the relegation battle, it will be a wrench to see him playing for the opposition in a Premier League game.
It will no doubt seem like a betrayal after everything both sides have been through in the past six months or so, but from his point of view it does make sense.
The fact that the Toffees have been in such a mess as to require him to rescue them – along with the likes of Jordan Pickford but without the ex-Watford man’s goals they would be down – makes it little surprise that a Brazilian international might be considering his options.
Fans would likely hope that if he has to go it would be to a league in a different country so they don’t have to face him twice a year.
But in practical terms that would mean uprooting his whole life to start somewhere else, when he may well be comfortable in England.
With nothing concrete sorted the possibilities of him either staying at Goodison or moving to a European giant remain, but the signs currently look to be pointing towards a big move to a league rival.
In other Everton news, a £170million development looks like it will make the Toffees wait in the pursuit of a key target.
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