Sport
Richarlison’s redemption should be used to help Tottenham attract new signings
Only Son Heung-min has scored more Premier League goals for Tottenham Hotspur this season than Richarlison. At his current rate of nearly a goal every game, the Brazilian could be Spurs’ top scorer by the time Son returns from playing for South Korea at the Asian Cup. Richarlison can’t stop scoring at the moment.
It wasn’t so long ago that Richarlison was widely seen as a flop. An expensive one having cost Tottenham £60m from Everton in the 2022 summer transfer window. The Brazilian looked to be a misfit in North London to such an extent that he had become a figure of derision for even his own supporters.
Under Ange Postecoglou, though, Richarlison has been revived. He has found the back of the net six times in his last seven matches including Sunday’s 2-2 draw against Manchester United at Old Trafford. With Harry Kane now a Bayern Munich player, and Son at the Asian Cup, Richarlison has stepped up. He is doing his bit.
Richarlison’s redemption should be used by Tottenham to help new signings in the transfer market. Postecoglou’s restorative powers have got the best out of the Brazilian forward and he could have a similar impact on the careers of other players. Timo Werner surely considered this before joining Spurs on loan from RB Leipzig.
It’s not just Richarlison who should be used as part of Tottenham’s sales pitch in the transfer market. Since Postecoglou’s arrival at the club last summer, Spurs have enjoyed an excellent success rate with several new signings who have made a real impact on the team on the pitch this season.
James Maddison arrived from Leicester City and immediately made himself a key part of Postecoglou’s system. The 27-year-old started the season with three goals and five assists in just 11 Premier League appearances before injury sidelined him for a number of months. His return can’t come soon enough for Spurs.
Micky van Ven’s signing from Wolfsburg flew under the radar at the time, but the Dutch centre back quickly established himself in the Premier League as the defensive all-rounder Postecoglou needed to play alongside Cristian Romero. Guglielmo Vicario is another summer signing who has thrived upon joining Tottenham Hotspur, becoming Postecoglou’s first-choice goalkeeper.
What’s more, Spurs are playing a brand of exciting, attacking football under Postecoglou that surely makes the club an attractive proposition for players looking for a new club. Under Antonio Conte, Tottenham was a challenging environment for players to be in, but that has changed dramatically this season. Spurs is a fun place to be right now.
There may be financial restrictions on what Spurs can do in the January transfer window. The club doesn’t have the backing of rivals like Manchester City and Manchester United, and even North London counterparts Arsenal who have spent more over the last three seasons than any other club in the Premier League.
So far, though, Spurs have shown they can be shrewd operators in the transfer market when they have a manager with a clear vision of what the team on the pitch should look like. The club might have lost direction under Conte, but Postecoglou has pointed them in the right direction again. Tottenham can achieve a lot over the coming years.
Richarlison can be an important part of that success. The Brazilian is no longer a figure of fun. Instead, he is a reliable goalscorer for a team on an upward trajectory. It would be natural if others want to join Richarlison in this journey. If Spurs can revive his career, they could do the same for other players.
