David Moyes has raised the floor at Everton, but will he be the man to lead this outfit up into Europe, taking them away from the middle of the table, where they have languished for too long?
To be fair, since Moyes’ return to Merseyside after more than a decade away, he has guided the club back to comparative safety. Under Frank Lampard and then Sean Dyche, the Toffees had flirted with relegation from the Premier League, something which has never happened.
There are certian sliding door moments in football which could have a significant impact on a club. One of which would be the breakdown of Richarlison’s fated return to Merseyside, with Tottenham Hotspur’s conditions proving an intractable barrier in negotiations.
How Richarlison’s return to Everton fell through
Everton banked £100m in player sales on deadline day, but they still only managed to sign Jack Grealish on loan and Ainsley Maitland-Niles for about £3m.
The much-publicised disaster that was the collapse of Folarin Balogun’s move from Monaco to Merseyside soured Everton’s summer window, casting doubt over the Friedkin Group’s ownership ability. The fact it has since been made clear that the owners are seeking new stakeholders only fans those flames.
Everton are shorn in attack, and Richarlison could have been the perfect solution. The Brazil international wears his heart on his sleeve, and his five-term stint at Goodison Park established him as one of the most menacing and mercurial forwards in the Premier League.
For the Toffees, the 29-year-old scored 53 goals and supplied 15 assists across 152 matches. He has never quite found the form or the adoration with Tottenham Hotspur that he had on Merseyside, and it’s a shame he did not complete an emotional return home.
Richarlison pulled out of the deal in August, with Everton unable to agree to terms with Spurs – who wanted £35m – and actually pulling the plug himself – citing a desire not to financially hinder his former outfit in an incendiary outburst.
Richarlison’s Everton Career (Premier League) | ||
|---|---|---|
Season | Apps | Goals + Assists |
21/22 | 30 | 10 + 5 |
20/21 | 34 | 7 + 3 |
19/20 | 36 | 13 + 4 |
18/19 | 35 | 13 + 2 |
Now, Everton are short in attack, but that could still change. The free agent market is still open, after all.
Everton in race to sign new striker
Admittedly, the pickings are slim. Anthony Martial’s name has been discussed, but the veteran French forward only scored one goal on loan with Monterrey in Mexico last season, and it’s hard to imagine he would seamlessly reintegrate into the Premier League.
As per recent reports, Everton are one of a host of globe-wide clubs interested in snapping up Mauro Icardi on a free transfer after his contract with Galatasaray expired at the end of last season.
The latest comes from TEAMtalk on Thursday who report that Icardi’s camp have held initial talks with Everton regarding a move and that the player is open to moving to Merseyside in the coming weeks.
Icardi, 33, would not be a good signing. Not if you were to look at it objectively. He is old and would command a significant wage – with a big, brash personality which has gotten him into trouble at intervals throughout his career.
In that, though, he could emerge as a kind of Richarlison-esque figure for Moyes’ Everton next season. Richarlison brought a lot of personality to the field when he played for the Toffees in the past – and it’s not hard to imagine him packing a similar punch this season, had his return move gone through.
Prime Icardi, during those Inter days, was a phenomenon of a striker. Someone who was a cut above Richarlison in front of goal. He scored 124 goals across 239 games for the Serie A side, also enjoying rich returns in Turkey with Gala and France with Paris Saint-Germain.
Praised as one of the most “deadly” strikers of his generation by analyst Raj Chohan, Everton might actually enjoy a degree of success by bringing Icardi into their fold.
He might have something of a hot temperament, but Icardi still knows how to find the back of the net – and given how fellow South American Richarlison performed way back when at Goodison Park, there’s no question that Icardi could become something of an icon, a fan favourite.
It might not be the perfect deal, more of a stop-gap, but if it proves the difference between mid-table nothingness and a concerted challenge for Europe this season, why not take a risk and add a bit of chaos to Everton’s season? Or a bit more chaos, in any case.
