Why Barcelona should reignite their interest in Richarlison
While speaking to Globo Esporte (h/t Daily Mail), former Barcelona target Richarlison has hinted that he could leave Everton if approached with the right offer.
Richarlison has enjoyed rare individual success unlike his side Everton, who managed to finish a mere 12th in the league this season. The 23-year-old finished the season with an impressive 15 goals and four assists across all competitions, making him one of the key players in the side.
The Brazilian’s goal-scoring exploits saw him emerge as the side’s joint top-scorer in the league alongside teammate Dominic Calvert-Lewin. Richarlison was also his side’s leading goal-scorer last term after arriving from rivals Watford in the summer of 2018.
This gives a clear idea of the young striker’s consistency in front of goal despite his side’s struggles to get back to the top of the league rankings.
His excellent finishing made him the subject of transfer speculation from a big club like Barcelona back in January. The La Liga giants had offered a bid of around £85million for Richarlison, however, Everton rejected the offer and stood firm in their resolve to hold onto their star player.
Having proved himself already at Goodison Park at such short notice, it is not a big surprise Everton are reluctant to let go of their goal-scoring forward.
Richarlison can offer Barcelona more strength in attack
Barcelona, meanwhile, has not had the best of seasons in recent times as they lost their league title to arch-rivals Real Madrid. The Catalans under new boss Quique Setién finished second in the league rankings after being at the top for two consecutive years, suggesting that the side is in clear need of new reinforcements.
Though attack has not been a major issue for Setien’s side this term having scored 86 goals from their overall 38 league games, there is still room for improvement. The majority of these goals have been scored by their star striker Lionel Messi, who has 25 goals to his name.
However, this will not serve them well in the long run and it makes complete sense why Barcelona had shown an interest in Richarlison. The Spanish giants had earlier roped in Antoine Griezmann to the side to bolster their frontline but the 2018 French World Cup winner has been far from impressive.
Griezmann has managed just 9 league goals in his maiden season with them, indicating that he is yet to adjust to the new surroundings at Camp Nou.
Barcelona had also faced a major concern midway into the season when their first-choice striker Luis Suarez suffered an injury, prompting them to sign Martin Braithwaite as a back-up option in January. Also, Suarez turned 33 this year and his struggles with injuries suggest that he is far from his prime.
That said, it would be wise of the club to reignite their interest in Richarlison at such a crucial juncture. Richarlison’s arrival will definitely add strength to their squad and considering his age, he would be a terrific long-term addition.
Read more
- Why Barcelona re-signing Neymar would bolster their attack
- Why Barcelona should make a move for Angel Gomes
- Opinion: Barcelona’s £72.5m sale of Brazilian star Arthur simply doesn’t make sense and here’s why
Verdict
Having already proved his mettle with Everton, there is no doubt about Richarlison’s goal-scoring abilities. Thus, his addition will only bolster Barcelona’s attack and they should once again make an approach for their former target. Moreover, a young striker such as him would be a brilliant addition to an ageing squad like Barcelona’s.
