Everton are reportedly eyeing a summer move for Watford forward Emmanuel Dennis to replace Brazilian international Richarlison.
According to Daily Mail, Everton are keen to bring in Watford striker Emmanuel Dennis as they bid to replace star attacker Richarlison, who could be on his way out of Goodison Park this summer. The Nigerian international will cost around £20 million.
Richarlison has been linked with several clubs, and a move to Tottenham Hotspur is the talk of the town. His exit will leave a gaping hole in Everton’s frontline, meaning reinforcing the department is key this summer.
Richarlison joined the Blues for a massive £50 million in 2018. He has since proven himself to be a key performer for Everton and has stepped up when needed. The Brazilian international has made 152 appearances across all competitions, scoring 53 goals and providing 14 assists. Capable of playing anywhere along the frontline, losing Richarlison would be a blow for Frank Lampard.
The man Everton have identified to plug the gap is Watford forward Emmanuel Dennis, who has made a name for himself at Vicarage Road. The Nigerian international joined the Hornets last summer from Club Brugge and was among their standout players in what was a woeful 2021/22 campaign.
Dennis scored ten goals and provided six assists, leading both categories for Watford in the campaign. While the numbers might not be breathtaking, they represent a promising output for a player in his debut season in English football, that too for a side battling against relegation.
At 24, he is yet to enter the prime of his career and can be moulded into a reliable goalscorer under the right manager. More so, Dennis is also capable of playing anywhere along the frontline and can be a like-for-like replacement for Richarlison sans a flair for the dramatic.
Everton showed their doggedness this past season in their bid to escape relegation and were not afraid to employ the dark arts when needed. Dennis has also shown himself to have loose discipline, picking up seven yellow cards and a red in 35 appearances last season. It is fair to say that he has the fight in him to become a fan favourite at Goodison Park.
The Nigerian has four years left on his current contract at Vicarage Road and could be available for around £20 million. Netting that would see Watford make a neat profit on a player they paid just £3.5 million for a year ago. The asking price represents fair value for the player, and Everton will do well to snap him up quickly in the summer.
