The Sun has claimed that Everton striker Richarlison has informed his club that he is looking to leave this summer and would snub interest from Arsenal in favour of Chelsea.
The 25-year-old had a solid season for the Toffees last time around having scored 10 goals on top of providing five assists. If it was not for his contribution, Everton would likely have been relegated from the Premier League.
However, the South American hitman is now looking for a new challenge with The Sun claiming he has informed Frank Lampard he wants to leave Goodison Park for a top European club this summer.
Arsenal have lost both Alexandre Lacazette and Pierre Emerick Aubameyang this past season. There is no doubt that Mikel Arteta is looking for a new striker to strengthen his frontline. While Alvaro Morata has emerged as an option for the Gunners, Richarlison could be their priority for the summer.
However, The Sun says the Brazilian international would snub any interest from Arsenal in favour of joining a club in the Champions League with Chelsea, Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain believed to be the club in his sights.
Chelsea are expected to be in the market for a new striker with Romelu Lukaku widely tipped to leave Stamford Bridge. The Belgian re-joined Chelsea in a £97.5 million deal last summer but is being linked with a return to Inter Milan after a difficult season.
Richarlison has been touted as a potential replacement and if he stays in the Premier League, a move to west London could be on the cards. The report suggests that Richarlison is valued at £65m so a move wouldn’t break the bank.
Real Madrid are looking to sign a young striker but are not willing to splash out on a big transfer fee. A transfer to PSG is looking unlikely with Mbappe’s decision to renew with the Parisians, so Chelsea could be Richarlison’s most viable option if the Blues formalise their interest.
Our View
Chelsea are in need of a striker with Lukaku expected to leave. The London-based outfit are looking to offload the former Man Utd hitman this summer, though it is complicated because of the massive fee that was shelled out for him. That said, Richarlison could be the answer to their attacking woes.
The 25-year-old is a proven performer in the Premier League. He has shone brightly in a poor Everton outfit in recent seasons. Having said that, his mentality needs a special mention as well. He managed to score six crucial goals in his side’s last nine games in the League last term. Those six goals were perhaps what kept the Toffees from entering the Championship for next season.
His presence could be the difference between Chelsea qualifying for the UCL next term and challenging for the Premier League title. But, there is a lot of work yet to be done on the transfer front.
Arsenal are in a much weaker position than Chelsea to sign Richarlison. They could not manage to secure their qualification for the Champions League despite having their fate in their own hands. Playing in Europe’s elite competition is one of the priorities for the player and the Gunners have lost out on that front.
