Chelsea reportedly made a late attempt to hijack Richarlison’s £60 million move to Tottenham Hotspur but failed in their endeavours.
According to reputed transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, Chelsea tried and failed with a late attempt to beat Tottenham Hotspur to the signing of Brazilian forward Richarlison from Everton.
Tottenham officially announced the capture of Richarlison from Everton earlier on Friday, with the 25-year-old joining the Lilywhites in a deal worth £60 million and signing a five-year deal with the north London giants. He became Spurs’ fourth major signing of the summer after the club brought in Ivan Perisic, Fraser Forster and Yves Bissouma.
With the move, Richarlison brings an end to his four-year association with Everton, where he had grown into a talismanic figure and had played a key role in their survival in the Premier League this past season.
Tottenham manager Antonio Conte is revamping his roster this summer and had made the signing of a new versatile forward a top priority. Considering that Steven Bergwijn is likely to be on his way out and there are uncertainties surrounding the future of Lucas Moura, a player like Richarlison will add a lot of value for Tottenham.
Chelsea made an attempt to hijack Richarlison deal before agreement between Everton and Tottenham, in place since this morning for £60m. ?⚪️ #THFC
Spurs have full agreement with both EFC and Richarlison on personal terms. Just waiting for medical in Brazil and player signature. pic.twitter.com/SxyGFqdWwN
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) June 30, 2022
Furthermore, the Brazilian can also serve as a top-quality backup to Harry Kane in the No. 9 slot, addressing a major issue that had haunted Tottenham in the past.
However, Richarlison might not have ended up at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this summer if Chelsea had their way. The Blues are also overseeing a major overhaul this summer, especially in the attacking unit. Romelu Lukaku has already departed, while Hakim Ziyech could follow him to Italy soon. Christian Pulisic and Timo Werner also have question marks hanging over their futures at Stamford Bridge.
So, Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel is eyeing multiple signings to bolster his options in the final third. Talks are underway to sign Raheem Sterling from Manchester City, while the Blues have also had a bid accepted for Leeds United winger Raphinha. However, with the Brazilian international delaying a move to west London as he waits for Barcelona, Chelsea decided to make a last-ditch attempt to sign Richarlison.
Chelsea have held an interest in Richarlison for a while now and as per Fabrizio Romano, they made a late attempt to hijack the deal. However, their efforts proved futile as the 25-year-old has now completed a transfer to Tottenham. As for Chelsea, they will now hope to wrap up an agreement over personal terms with Raphinha at the earliest and get the deal over the line.
