Everton raised eyebrows when they paid Premier League rivals Watford a club-record £50m for Brazil forward Richarlison.
One word that can be used to describe Everton’s start to the 2018/19 season is ‘progress’.
The previous campaign is one better left forgotten with The Toffees enduring a miserable campaign under Ronald Koeman and Sam Allardyce. But since Marco Silva arrived at Goodison Park, the Portuguese has set about showing why Everton had spent so long courting him.
The Merseyside giants are ninth in the Premier League right now and well placed to challenge for that ‘best of the rest’ crown. And while a whole host of players appear to have already moved to the next level under Silva, Kevin Campbell has paid tribute to one player in particular – the £50 million summer signing Richarlison.
“I like (Richarlison) on the left but when he plays through the middle, he can stretch the pitch, that’s when you can really hurt (the opposition),” Campbell, who was himself a goalscoring hero for The Toffees in his playing days, told talkSPORT (15 November, 12pm).
Plenty of eyebrows were raised when Everton paid a club-record fee to sign Richarlison from Watford but, after scoring six Premier League goals already, Campbell claims that he always believed the Samba starlet would represent value for money.
“Paul Merson said that the transfer hurt the market and I couldn’t believe it. He’s 21-years-old, a Brazil international and you’re seeing the real Richarlison this season.
“He’s just putting money on his price-tag.”
Richarlison is not the only Everton newcomer who has impressed in recent weeks. Lucas Digne was terrific in the goalless draw against Chelsea, Andre Gomes has added class in central midfield while Kurt Zouma and Yerry Mina seem to have the makings of an excellent defensive partnership.
So it is not just Silva but director of football Marcel Brands, a summer recruit from PSV Eindhoven, who deserves praise.
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