Tottenham Hotspur are favourites to sign Richarlison from Everton. AFP Photo
Paul Kennedy
I’ve never been to Scott’s seafood restaurant in London’s exclusive Mayfair district, and chances are I never will.
It looks proper fancy, and although I’m sure worth every penny, a little expensive for my modest tastes. (Fish, chips and mushy peas will set you back VNĐ1 million).
According to one English national newspaper, on Monday evening earlier this week two men met there for a dinner meeting.
They were Tottenham Hotspur chairman Daniel Levy and his good friend and Everton FC counterpart Bill Kenwright.
It seems the pair were discussing the sale of Everton striker Richarlison to White Hart Lane with the price thought to be somewhere in the region of $60m.
The 25-year-old Brazilian is a great talent, already a regular in his national team and still has his best footballing years ahead of him.
He will be a fine addition to Antonio Conte’s Tottenham side and could be the difference that will see Spurs finally win a trophy, their last being the Carling Cup in 2008.
But the big news here for me is not Tottenham’s attempt to buy the Brazilian, but Everton’s willingness to sell.
Maybe by the time this column is printed, a deal will have already been completed, and Richarlison will soon be revealed as a Tottenham Hotspur player.
Good news for Spurs, awful for Everton.
Last season the Blues hung on to their place in the Premier by the skin of their teeth. It was touch and go as the campaign drew to a close but in the end, helped massively by a galvanised supporter base, Everton clung on.
This coming season could see one of two things happen. Either they take on board the scare of last, and use it to push on and improve, or they spend another season desperately fighting for every point in the hope of survival.
In Frank Lampard they have a good, young, keen and willing manager, ready to do all he can to improve the club.
But it seems the willingness from those who hold the purse strings to sell their best players could be the death of Everton.
There have also been rumours surrounding the futures of striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin and midfielder Anthony Gordon.
Goalkeeper Jordon Pickford, also England’s number one, is another soon out of contract. If those three, on top of Richarlison, also decide to leave Goodison Park then I fear for their future.
Everton are what you would class as a ‘selling club’. It’s highly unlikely a mega-star will choose the Blues over the likes of Liverpool, Manchester City or Chelsea.
But that said, Everton need to do all they can to hold on to their very best players, for at least next season, before deciding to cash in.
Selling the likes of Richarlison may bring a tidy profit, but it could just send Everton spiralling headfirst into the Championship.
And that will be something Evertonians will find hard to swallow, even if it is served with the best possible oysters on the menu at Scott’s. VNS
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