Chelsea are reportedly looking to bring in 21-year-old Everton forward Richarlison as a potential replacement for Eden Hazard in the summer.
According to a report by Daily Mail, Chelsea are starting to prepare for life after Eden Hazard, with possible replacement options being lined up. The Blues have earmarked Everton superstar Richarlison as a possible candidate to fill the Belgian’s void, should he call it quits at Stamford Bridge in the summer.
Richarlison is currently in his second season in England, having made his way to Watford from Fluminense in the summer of 2017. An inconsistent, yet promising 2017-18 campaign saw the Brazilian catch a lot of attention last summer, before he followed former Watford manager Marco Silva to Everton.
The move to Goodison Park has been reasonably successful for the 21-year-old, who is the Toffees’ top scorer this season with 11 goals in 27 appearances across all competitions. His solid performances though, seem to be attracting the interest of other clubs once again, with Chelsea interested in signing him in the summer, as per Daily Mail.
The Blues are currently in a precarious situation, with widespread reports linking Eden Hazard with a move away from Stamford Bridge. The Chelsea superstar too, has made no bones about being open to a move to Real Madrid, having iterated time and again that the Spanish heavyweights are his “dream club”.
Hazard has also been openly courted by former Chelsea teammate Thibaut Courtois, and so it makes sense that the Premier League giants are lining up replacement options, as the report suggests. Richarlison is one such option.
The 21-year-old Brazilian international, who is usually deployed on the left flank, has also shown the adeptness to lead the line for Everton. Hazard has also been used in the two roles by Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri, meaning Richarlison could potentially fill the boots of Hazard, position wise.
The problem though, is that Brazilian forward has been quite inconsistent for both Everton and Watford, although his in-form periods have been more outstretched at his current club, which is a positive. Additionally, playing at a more creative club like Chelsea could potentially boost his return further.
What goes without saying is that Richarlison is a promising player who is still a work in progress, which bodes well for the West Londoners, if they do sign him. It will be interesting to see though, if Everton are willing to cash in on the talented 21-year-old forward, if Chelsea come calling for him in the summer, or if they rebuff the Blues.
