Three years ago today, Richarlison scored one of the most-important Everton goals of recent times with his celebration producing one of the most-iconic images. But should the Blues bring back the fan favourite?
On May 1, 2022, the Brazilian’s strike in the first minute of the second half put Everton, managed by Stamford Bridge legend Frank Lampard, ahead against Chelsea. Richarlison enthusiastically picked up a flare which had been thrown onto the pitch from the stands with blue smoke billowing out it and carried it for a few seconds – a scene now reproduced on the shutters of The Goodison Cafe in the shadow of the Main Stand – before tossing it back into the crowd.
Although the visitors’ expensively-assembled side pushed hard for an equaliser with Jordan Pickford dashing across the full width of his goal to deny Cesar Azpilicueta with a stop named Save of the Season – Lampard would hail it as the best save of the Premier League era – the Blues clung on for a precious three points in a season in which their top-flight status wasn’t secured until a dramatic 3-2 comeback victory over Crystal Palace in their final home match some 18 days later.
With Richarlison subsequently struggling at under-achieving Tottenham Hotspur, he could find himself surplus to requirements in north London this summer. And reports have claimed that Everton have identified their former attacker as a priority target.
But should they go back in for him? Members of the ECHO sportsdesk have their say...
Chris Beesley
Richarlison gets Everton, he loves Everton. Evertonians get Richarlison, they love him.
There is no denying the special bond that was forged between both parties during the Brazilian’s four-year stint at Goodison Park between 2018-22. A bit like the dynamic that exists between Jordan Pickford and many opposition fanbases, with the England number one seeming to rub them up the wrong way, Richy’s approach to the game seemed to make him somewhat unpopular with rivals while he wore the royal blue jersey, but that just made Evertonians appreciate him more, he was one of them.
Although he was mostly part of a struggling Everton team, the man from the state of Espirito Santo, made plenty of magic memories during his time on Merseyside and it also included him being given a hero’s welcome when coming back to Finch Farm with a gold medal from the Olympic Games in 2021 after also recovering from his sick bed to win Copa America with Brazil two years earlier. Even though it’s now his job to score goals for Spurs, Richarlison seemed apologetic to the Gwladys Street when he bagged a brace on his first playing return to Goodison in February 2024, although he grabbed another one on January 19 this year to set up a nervous finale as the home side clung on to win 3-2.
These things are all real. But what this correspondent would also like to be real is the understanding that The Friedkin Group are now making astute business decisions at Everton and the days of the heart ruling the head in the Blues boardroom are over.
David Moyes has come back and I think we can all agree that’s been an inspired decision that has saved Goodison Park’s historic final season with the manager who guided Everton to nine top-eight finishes, including a highest ever Premier League position of fourth in 2004/05, the ideal man to steer the club forward to the new stadium at a pivotal time. However, rather than going back in for Richarlison, who turns 28 this month, I believe the Blues’ recruitment team should be identifying the ‘next Richarlison,’ and by that I mean a prospect who is still playing in South America.
Richarlison himself came to Everton via a season in the Premier League with Watford – netting for the Hornets at Goodison Park in the hosts’ famous 3-2 Bonfire Night comeback win under caretaker boss David Unsworth – and commanded a transfer fee of £35million rising to a potential £50million. By the time the Blues were forced to cash in on him, when Bill Kenwright and Daniel Levy thrashed out a deal at Mayfair seafood restaurant Scott’s to take the player to the capital, the selling club’s profit margin was much smaller than it could have been.
Even then, the sale wasn’t enough to save Everton from a PSR breach and subsequent points deduction. Although Richarlison’s Premier League goal tally of 11 last season was one more than he got in his final campaign at Goodison, he netted just a solitary strike in the competition for the Lilywhites in his first 12 months and has just four this term.
He’d get my full support and that of thousands of others if he did return to ply his trade by the banks of the Mersey, but I believe there should be more prudent options than Richarlison out there this summer. It’s time for Everton to look forwards rather than backwards.
Matt Jones
It is hard to ignore the emotional pull of Richarlison, one of the few footballers who has forged a genuine bond with fans over the years at Goodison Park. But one of the reasons he is loved so much by Evertonians is the reason why the club should not bring him back to Merseyside.
Aside from a few spells of goalscoring at Spurs, the Brazilian has looked a pale imitation of the player who was so effective at Goodison Park. Injuries have clearly taken a heavy toll on his body.
That is no surprise given Richarlison has spoken openly about how he played through a number of issues in his last season at Everton while the club battled relegation. Tottenham Hotspur signed a player with significant physical issues to overcome as a result; he's only started three Premier League games this season.
And what if we strip the emotion back? Would signing a soon-to-be 28-year-old who has suffered significant injury problems be the smartest move for Everton? Especially when the club has suffered so much financially in recent seasons? Arguably not.
If he was fit, Richarlison would undoubtedly still improve the Everton XI. He can still sniff out goals and is versatile enough to fulfil a number of different roles too. The Brazilian would clearly put everything on he line for a club he adores too.
But looking back would not be the right message to send at the start of a new chapter. Everton's new-look recruitment team need to expand their horizons and make smarter recruitment decisions.
Richarlison's return would be popular gamble, but not pragmatic. In this new era, the Blues need more of the latter.
Paul Wheelock
You had to feel for him. And you could it see coming a mile off. But if anyone needed reminding of Richarlison's Everton allegiances then it came when he was brought on as a sub for Tottenham Hotspur in their meek surrender to Liverpool during Sunday's Anfield title party.
It's the last place any Blue would have wanted to be and it came as absolutely no surprise when the pantomime villain got himself wound up and had it out with Harvey Elliott. It really was just like old times.
But that's why Evertonians loved and love Richarlison. He would fight for the Blue cause - especially in derbies - both on and off the pitch.
But as my colleague Matt Jones alluded to above, the Brazilian's willingness to put his body on the line for Everton even during the times when it was clear he was injured may have taken its toll.
So it leaves me in a quandary. Richarlison is exactly the type of hero the Blues need at the start of a new era under David Moyes, The Friedkin Group and at Bramley-Moore Dock. And with Moyes desperately in need of more quality in the final third, a fully fit Richarlison would undoubtedly tick that box too.
But while Everton will have money to spend, certainly after the June 30 PSR deadline, there is no getting away from the fact what a huge rebuilding job Moyes and the club's new recruitment team are facing. Even if a number of the club's existing players do agree new contracts, you are still looking at up to 10 signings being required.
The money available will only go so far and it's for that reason I'd be inclined to say no to Richarlison if Tottenham Hotspur demanded they recoup a large percentage of the fee they shelled out to Everton three years ago.
But if a cut-price deal can be agreed, or even a season-long loan, then I would be all for it.
Maybe that's the heart ruling the head. But few players have meant as much to Evertonians as Richarlison has in recent years.
