Richarlison has enjoyed a superb start to 2018/19, shining in the Premier League with Everton and scoring two on his Brazil debut.
Plenty of eyebrows were raised when Jamie Redknapp made some rather bold claims about Richarlison just a few months into his Watford career.
The Brazilian starlet certainly made a bright start to life at Vicarage Road following his £11.5 million move from Fluminense. He had scored three times and set up two more goals in his first eight games for The Hornets while running Chelsea ragged in an unfortunate 4-2 defeat in October.
And, after that six-goal thriller at Stamford Bridge, Redknapp said that Richarlison shared a few similarities with a young Cristiano Ronaldo.
“He has the capability, the little things that he does are a little bit like a young Ronaldo,” the former Liverpool midfielder told Sky Sports (21 October 2017).
“I’m not saying he can be as good as him but he does special things on the ball that only a few people can do – he drifts past people, there’s a little bit of petulance in his game still but if the manager can polish that diamond that’s there then he’s on to something.
“You can have a super talent and I remember seeing Ronaldo and thinking this kid is so special. He’s got the lot it’s just the little bits that he needs to polish.”
Everton’s Ronaldo?
Almost a year on, however, and suddenly Redknapp’s comments are not looking too outlandish.
There was no shortage of cynics when Everton paid a club-record £50 million to sign Richarlison (BBC) after just one inconsistent season at Watford but the 21-year-old has started life at Goodison Park like a house on fire.
He scored three times in just two Premier League games and even netted a brace on his Brazil debut in the 5-0 thrashing of El Salvador this week.
Richarlison has a long way to go to match Ronaldo and there is a very good chance that he never will. But no one is questioning his potential now.
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