What the arrival of Richalison means for Tottenham

It means more than being the replacement of Steven Bergwijn

Spurs remain active in the Transfers Market and their latest big signing is the Brazilian forward, Richarlison. But some people are complaining about the amount spent and the quality of the former Everton player. Nonetheless, there are other things to consider before making a statement about this move.

A thing that is clear, is that his arrival means that Antonio Conte plans to keep playing the same way, with the 3–4–3 formation.

This is surprising since last season they had problems against teams that were defending with a low block. Harry Kane’s creativity got reduced by this, he was a big threat in this matter when Spurs had space to run, but against these types of teams, they had issues creating clear chances.

Therefore, to solve this problem with creativity, they were linked with Christian Eriksen, a former Spurs player that already shared the dressing room with Conte at Inter.

But, despite some talks held with his agents, Spurs choose to go for other players. And one of those players was Richarlison. A player with different attributes than the Danish that is known for his versatility in the three fronts of the attack.

So, he is not a No.10, but he is not a classic No. 9 or a typical winger either. ‘Richy’ is primarily a forward, that’s why Conte will keep the 3 forwards.

He is a different kind of player who despite not fitting fully into a role he is capable of doing great things in several positions, something that shouldn’t go unnoticed.

Last season, after the injury of Dominic Calvert-Lewin, he often played as a striker. Here, he showed his capacity to be decisive, scoring eleven goals for the Toffees.

But, despite Richarlison being the one who was selected, there were other options available on the market. Raheem Sterling, Raphinha, Serge Gnabry, or Ousmane Dembele are some interesting wingers that were/are on the market.

Some of them were cheaper, like Sterling who landed at Chelsea for a total fee of £55m including add-ons, or Dembele who was available for free. But the requirement for Spurs was a proper substitute, a role that these players maybe didn’t want to fulfill. Their lack of interest in this opportunity didn’t make them possible targets for Spurs.

Considering that there were not a lot of options left better than the Brazilian, after a fee of £50m plus £10m in add-ons, the doubts remain. He still could seem like an expensive player.

But the reality says otherwise, since he was the most important player for Everton last season, together with Anthony Gordon, they were key to avoiding relegation, something that’s worth noting.

Secondly, we know how ‘inflated’ is the market in the Premier League. Excluding a few teams outside England, they are the only ones that can satisfy their own demands. We are familiar with some examples in this Transfer Window, like the ones from Raheem Sterling, Kalvin Phillips, or Yves Bissouma to name a few.

So, his price may look high but if we consider the context of the transfer, it is fine.

Also, Spurs being back in the Champions League is a factor to consider too. Because of this, they need to lift the quality of the squad.

And let’s not forget, he is only 25 years old, with a 5-year contract he is a transfer for the future too. With a demanding season ahead, time will tell if he really was expensive or not.

A thing that was common last season was the trio of attack composed of Son Heung-Min, Harry Kane, and Dejan Kulusevski.

With Antonio Conte not having in mind to change the formation, a quality substitute was needed for the first two. So, someone versatile as Richarlison is perfect since he can play for any of them when required.

But, despite having the Champions League ahead. Do Son and Kane need a backup?

The answer is yes. Both participated in more than 80% of the matches last season. And something that was key for their results last season was that they didn’t get serious injuries.

They don’t want to take that risk now, so with a tight calendar and more important matches ahead (they were in the Conference League last season), they need their strikers to be at their best. So, having someone like Richy is more than a necessity for Spurs.

With Spurs having strengthened their squad and with a pre-season under Antonio Conte they can be quite competitive next season. But, how much?

Well, it's always difficult to predict that. At least in the Premier League, the gap is still big when compared to Manchester City, Liverpool, and maybe Chelsea. Chelsea is going through a moment of transition, so it's difficult to tell if they will come out stronger or weaker.

But, the reality is that these are not the only teams that Spurs have to worry about. They have Arsenal, which is having a good Transfer Window so far, then Manchester United with Erik Ten Hag as their new manager, and also making interesting moves on the market.

Nonetheless, on paper, it will be difficult to dispute the Premier League title, also the Champions League.

Maybe their chances reside in the domestic cups?

With a better squad, with proper substitutes, the FA Cup and the Carabao Cup are probably closer than ever. But the competition will be fierce.

Although, after all this noise before the beginning of the season, Spurs will be a team to pay attention to.

Taking everything into account, Richarlison was a good choice. And Conte is already pleased with him: “I think he can play in all these three positions. Good physicality and good personality, and a good character. Good quality.”

He said this after their first pre-season match. Also, the fact that he knows the Premier League is important, a league that is difficult to adapt to.

Taking all this into consideration, I can be sure that he is a good bet and the right kind of player for the Italian coach and for Spurs.

How do you think Richarlison and Spurs will do this season? And, what do you think about the signing overall?

Thank you for reading! I will leave other stories below in case you may be interested, feel free to check them out:

Related posts:

A Web Application is a computer program that utilizes Web Browsers and Web Technology to perform tasks generally over the internet. Web Application Security deals specifically with the security of…

Hotel interior design becomes the crucial element to craft the ideal escape for guests. Apart from food and accommodation, the décor scheme plays a significant role in creating a desired vibe. While…

At the end of August around 80 participants gathered over a weekend at the University of Zurich for the TWIST hackdays which were carried out under the motto “Help us unmask twisted truths with…