Amid Spurs swap deal rumours, Arsenal ‘Invincibles’ legend Gilberto Silva raves about Watford’s Richarlison

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Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly pursuing Watford’s Richarlison.

Arsenal legend Gilberto Silva has told BBC Sport’s Football Focus that he has been ‘quite impressed’ with how Watford forward Richarlison has started in the Premier League.

Richarlison, 20, emerged in his native Brazil with Atletico Mineiro and Fluminense, with 19 goals in 67 games for the latter earning him a move to Watford over the summer.

Few knew of Richarlison before his move to Vicarage Road, but they certainly know him now after a stunning start to life in the top flight.

Having scored the second goal in this evening’s 2-0 home win over West Ham United, Richarlison now has five goals and two assists in just 12 Premier League outings, defying the notion that players can struggle to transition from South American football to the Premier League.

One player who successfully made that transition was midfielder Gilberto Silva, who joined Arsenal from Atletico Mineiro way back in the summer of 2002.

A key part of the Arsenal ‘Invincibles’ side, Silva has now hailed Richarlison’s impact in England, comparing him to former Inter Milan ace Adriano whilst praising his start in the Premier League, as it isn’t easy to go from Brazil to England.

Gilberto Silva

“You can compare him to some other Brazilian strikers that have done well in Europe,” said Silva whilst speaking on BBC Sport’s Football Focus. “Maybe he’s quite similar to Adriano, for his physical strength, and I’m quite impressed with the way he has started here, because it’s not so easy. He’s still a young player and has just arrived at Watford, and he’s doing so well,” he added.

Richarlison has made such a huge impact that he is already being linked with a move away from Watford, with the London Evening Standard claiming that Tottenham are lining up a part-exchange bid for the Brazilian, with Georges-Kevin Nkoudou and Josh Onomah potentially lined up to head in the other direction.

Silva’s praise again adds to Richarlison’s stock, and Watford will be desperately hoping to keep hold of their prized asset – just months after landing him in the first place.