Chelsea are eyeing a move for Everton attacker Richarlison, it has been claimed.
According to the Daily Star, the Toffees could demand as much as £80 million for the Brazilian international, who has been in red-hot form this season.
Richarlison joined Everton only last summer for a fee of £40million.
Richarlison – A good fit under Sarri
Following the dreadful 6-0 defeat to Manchester City, it was clear that Chelsea are lacking resources in their attacking department as Eden Hazard seemed like the only real spark for the Blues.
Gonzalo Higuain also lacked service upfront, as a result of which, Maurizio Sarri’s men struggled to cause any sort of problems to the City defence.
In addition, ageing wingers like Pedro and Willian have already shown signs of deterioration. Thus, Chelsea are in dire need of attacking reinforcements next summer despite the impending arrival of Christian Pulisic.
Richarlison would bring some much-needed aggression and dynamism to the Chelsea attack which has looked toothless at times, this season.
The Everton forward has thrived under Marco Silva at Everton this season, having been involved in 12 goals in just 25 matches.
While Pulisic’s quick-feet and smart movements can help Chelsea probe the opposition, Richarlison’s willingness to take on defenders coupled with his aggression might add another dimension to their attack.
But, what makes Richarlison an appealing target for the Blues is his excellent physique. Indeed, the Brazilian international can offer the physical presence in the final third, which, in turn, allows him to keep hold of the ball even under pressure.
This could be an ideal characteristic for Chelsea’s style of play as it would allow the forward to make suitable runs in behind the defence.
Richarlison’s addition would also offer Sarri with additional options in the final third, especially with Willian, Pedro and Giroud struggling with consistency.
The Brazilian can be deployed as the left-winger in Sarri’s preferred 4-3-3 system, where he can partner the likes of Pulisic and Higuain but alternatively, he can also feature in a more central role as he has often done at Everton this season, thus making him a tailor-made fit for the Blues.
However, Chelsea could stiff competition in pursuit of Richarlison as AC Milan, Atletico Madrid and PSG are believed to be interested in the Everton star.
