It is imperative for Everton to hold onto this £40m powerhouse amidst interest from Barcelona and here is why

Everton should do everything to hold onto Richarlison

According to the Dailystar, Everton striker Richarlison has been attracting heavy interest from Spanish champions Barcelona. The Camp Nou club are on the hunt for a long-term replacement for Luis Suarez, who is 32 at the moment.

The report suggests that Barcelona have identified Harry Kane and Antoine Greizmann as ideal replacements but the Spanish outfit are also believed to be interested in Everton’s forward. The Toffees paid a fee of around £40 million to lure the Brazilian from Watford after just one season.

Questions were raised as to whether the player would justify his price tag but Richarlison has once again flourished under Marco Silva, scoring 7 goals in 13 Premier League appearances this season. He has shown a lot more bite and consistency in the final third after scoring just 5 goals in 38 appearances for the Hornets last season. (Stats courtesy – Premier League)

The 21-year-old was initially used as an attacking midfielder out on the left but after being advanced to a lone striker’s role, Richarlison has proven to be a potent weapon for the Merseyside club. His emergence has seen Turkish international Cenk Tosun fall down the pecking order as well.

Everton cannot afford to lose out on their star player even if Barcelona offer a mammoth fee. The Toffees are a club on the rise under Silva and have done extremely well this season. Richarlison is not only a major source of goals but also a superb team player and focal point.

Take away his goals and the Toffees would struggle to find another striker who can replicate those numbers halfway through the season. A move would also seem quite early for the 21-year-old, who still has a long way to go to prove himself.

There are certain aspects he needs to improve but the Brazilian certainly possesses potential. He recently broke into the Brazil national team as well and has constantly worked well.

Though Silva has a plethora of options to deploy up front, none possess the finishing ability and clinical instinct that Richarlison has. His relentless running makes it hard for opposition defenders. The Brazilian is also extremely fit and rarely out on the sidelines.

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Surely he is set to play a massive role at Goodison Park this season and a big move to Barcelona seems too early for him at the moment. Everton should definitely do everything in their power to hold onto their star striker.