Chelsea are eyeing a move to sign £50m-rated Everton striker Richarlison but face competition from Tottenham, as per Daily Mail.
As per the report, the Blues are now preparing for life without Romelu Lukaku as the Belgian is nearing a move back to Inter Milan. Lukaku, 29, returned to Chelsea last summer for a club-record bid of £97.5 million. But the Belgian has not been able to live up to expectations.
Chelsea and the Nerazzurri have agreed over a one-year loan deal for Lukaku. Inter are set to pay £6.8 million as loan fee to Chelsea and there is no option to buy the striker.
According to the Daily Mail, Todd Bohey has identified a five-man shortlist with whom he can replace Lukaku with Richarlison among the top targets.
The news outlet says Everton are demanding around £50m for the South American forward but Chelsea will face competition from Tottenham as they also hold a ‘concrete’ interest.
Spurs boss Antonio Conte needs support for Harry Kane next season and Richarlison is seemingly on his radar with Everton ready to cash-in on the Brazilian if their asking price is met.
Chelsea are also reportedly interested in Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich), Victor Osimhen (Napoli), Jonathan David (Lille), and Gianluca Scamacca (Sassuolo).
Our View
It is clear that Thomas Tuchel requires a genuine striker. Timo Werner has been unable to deliver consistently while Lukaku endured a horrendous campaign. Kai Havertz is the one being utilised as a goal-scorer but that is not his natural position.
The Blues are in need of an injection of pace in their attack. Being a team that depends on attacks on the break, pace becomes a prerequisite.
From the above list of players, the North London-based outfit could benefit the most from Richarlison’s signing. While Lewandowski is an excellent option for the immediate future, his heart is set on a move to Barcelona. Napoli are likely to slap a heavy price tag on Osimhen. Jonathan David is still a raw talent and at this stage of his career, it would be advisable to wait before attempting to sign. The Canadian striker can still grow and develop a lot. Paris Saint-Germain are also said to be interested in signing Scamacca so it could get difficult for the Blues.
So Richarlison is arguably the most realistic target for Chelsea but it appears they’ll face competition from Tottenham so it will be interesting to see who comes out on top.
The 25-year-old is a proven performer on English soil and could well flourish under Thomas Tuchel. He has made 173 appearances in the Premier League, scoring 48 times and registering 18 assists.
