Tottenham Hotspur striker Richarlison (27) is increasingly likely to return to his former team, Everton, in this summer's transfer market. Everton is actively pursuing signings to reinforce its frontline, and Tottenham is also expected to consider a sale if an appropriate transfer fee is offered.

British media outlet Give Me Sport reported on the 7th (Korea time) that "Everton is planning to strengthen its attacking line in preparation for next season and is considering Richarlison as a top priority target."

Everton's starting striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin is approaching the end of his contract. If he does not sign a new contract, he is likely to leave the team as a free agent. In this situation, Everton's attacking line will only have Beto and Youssef Chermiti left, which is prompting manager David Moyes to look for new options at the forefront.

Richarlison played for Everton from 2018 to 2022, establishing himself as a key striker for the team. However, in the summer of 2022, Everton transferred him to Tottenham for a fee of £60 million (about 112.4 billion won) to comply with financial sustainability regulations. However, Richarlison has underperformed at Tottenham and has fallen behind in the competition for a starting place.

According to Give Me Sport, Tottenham is willing to sell Richarlison in this summer's transfer market and has set an initial transfer fee of £40 million (about 74.9 billion won). This is about £20 million (about 37.5 billion won) less than the amount paid when he was acquired in 2022.

As the transfer market progresses, Tottenham may adjust Richarlison's transfer fee. Everton does not intend to prolong negotiations, and if they determine that Tottenham's asking price is too high, they plan to immediately shift to signing another striker.

Richarlison has not met expectations due to frequent injuries since his transfer to Tottenham. This season in the Premier League, he has played in just 12 matches, scoring 3 goals and providing 1 assist, with only 2 starting appearances. Since moving to Tottenham, he has only made 32 starting appearances in the league, failing to secure consistent playing opportunities.

This injury history is acting as a factor that makes Everton hesitant about the transfer. British media outlet Everton News reported that "Richarlison's injury record is one of the factors Everton must carefully consider. Particularly, if consistent appearances cannot be guaranteed, it is likely that Everton will pivot towards signing a backup striker."

Football London journalist Alasdair Gold revealed seven players who are likely to leave Tottenham in the upcoming summer transfer market, including Richarlison.

He noted that "since the appointment of manager Postecoglou, Tottenham has been restructuring the team mainly around young players, and in that process, many high-paid veterans have been leaving the team. Richarlison is also likely to be excluded from long-term plans."

Tottenham aims to build a new attacking lineup through squad reformation this summer and plans to secure additional transfer funds by selling Richarlison. However, his injury history and high transfer fee may pose obstacles.

Everton manager Moyes is positively considering the acquisition of Richarlison, but his physical condition and transfer fee are expected to be important variables.

Everton News reported that "While manager Moyes is a passionate fan of Richarlison, it is likely that Everton will take a cautious approach considering the injury history and high transfer fee. If negotiations drag on or if Tottenham's demands are deemed excessive, Everton will pivot towards signing an alternative striker."

For now, it seems that Everton will enter into serious negotiations with Tottenham, and Richarlison's transfer will likely be determined based on the progress of early negotiations in the summer transfer market.

Although Richarlison's time at Tottenham has not been successful, it does not mean that his skills have completely diminished. However, Tottenham is currently operating its attack centered around Son Heung-min, Dominic Solanke, and Brennan Johnson, making it difficult for Richarlison to survive in the competition for a starting spot.

If Richarlison can overcome his frequent injuries and regain form, there is potential for a rebound at Tottenham. However, at present, it appears more realistic for Tottenham to seek new attacking options through a sale rather than to continue retaining him.

Whether Richarlison can return to his former team Everton and make a comeback, or if he will seek another destination, his situation this summer is expected to be a significant issue in the Premier League transfer market.

[OSEN = Jeong Seung-woo]