Season › 2024-25 › News The Rumour Mill Richarlison Return Rumoured Michael Kenrick | 10/03/2025 64comments | Jump to last A number of online sources are speculating that Everton could make a bid to seal the return of Richarlison from Spurs, where his expectations have not been fully met. The summer transfer window is still a long way off… but clubs can be expected to do the necessary groundwork to confirm that feelings are reciprocated, With Dominic Calvert-Lewin likely to depart and Armando Broja's loan unlikely to be converted to a permanent deal, it seems all too easy to speculate that Everton might be tempted to go for a familiar face who established himself as a lifelong Blue legend before his untimely departure was forced by PSR concerns. It is claimed that Everton are set to make enquiries over what it would take to seal Richarlison's return to Merseyside after he has been earmarked as a potential arrival when the squad rebuilding process goes into full swing this summer. Article continues below video content For the deal to work, it would appear that Spurs would need to accept making a loss on Richarlison, albeit with the north London club expected to seek a fee in the region of £40M — a sum which would be not far off the maximum Everton have ever paid for a player. And then there is the question of the player's salary, which would probably have to be at least £130k per week, at a time when Everton are expected to institute a more parsimonious salary structure that is targeted more toward younger players on lower wages. There is a strong sentiment that Everton should do what's required to "bring home" the 27-year-old Brazilian but more cold-blooded considerations are likely to dictate the outcome with The Friedkin Group wanting to use their money wisely as they invest in a squad rebuild that will grace the new Everton Stadium next season. Reader Comments (64) Note: the following content is not moderated or vetted by the site owners at the time of submission. Comments are the responsibility of the poster. Disclaimer () Roger Helm 1 Posted 10/03/2025 at 21:47:44 I like Richie but this this not the signing we need. A 27-year-old forward who scores once every four or five games for money like that? What will be his re-sale value after a 3-4 year contract? I am hoping that the club have learned some lessons from the Moshiri recruitment disasters. Allen Rodgers 2 Posted 10/03/2025 at 22:05:26 Would be a hugely popular move, we still love Richy. On the right terms, I'd say yes, but Levy won't do us any favours. Not cost effective. There's younger and better out there. Robert Williams 3 Posted 10/03/2025 at 22:45:43 It's a NO from me.We copped a 'lucky one' taking Moyes back. Let's not push our luck.No room for sentimentality in the 'new' Everton. Brian Williams 4 Posted 10/03/2025 at 23:05:12 I loved Richi when he was here but I'm dead against him coming back.I think he's become too injury prone and I also think the £40m figure that's being bandied about could be better spent elsewhere. Steve Shave 5 Posted 10/03/2025 at 23:38:21 For the price it would cost we can get Delap. Love Richy but its not the right move for us. Christine Foster 6 Posted 10/03/2025 at 23:56:33 Richarlison's book value with Spurs is likely to be approx £24M, given his injury record as well, even that figure in itself would have to be discounted. I would have thought £20M max. As far as Spurs are concerned and any likely buyer, he is damaged goods. £20M would be a heck of a gamble but if he could stay injury-free, then okay. Wages? Quite honestly, Richarlison isn't stupid, he knows he is not going to get anything like £120k a week... and I think he would gladly sacrifice some to get back to Everton.Should we? A far more emotive question, it's all about the owner's perspective. A deal that wants to be done in the heart but would TFG want to take risk? Christine Foster 7 Posted 11/03/2025 at 00:12:12 Worth remembering too that if Spurs sell then they save £12M in wages for the remainder of his contract, no small sum.. So with a book value and a potential chunk of wages, seeing out his contract at spurs will cost them at least another £36M in real terms.Hence why Levy may want rid now. There won't be many buyers at premium prices anywhere near that amount for him. Mike Gaynes 8 Posted 11/03/2025 at 00:12:35 Brian #4, 100% spot on. For all the mutual love between Richarlison and the Everton fans, he's just not that productive, and at those kinda numbers, the deal simply doesn't make sense. Phillip Warrington 9 Posted 11/03/2025 at 00:28:42 Hell no, and that's even if he found his form again. After going to Spurs, instead of improving, his game went backwards. It would be a gamble on him regaining his form again. Surley if we offload Beto and a couple of other players, plus the £30-40M on Richarlison we were going to spend. That would give us say £50-60M surely we could get a decent striker for that. Lester Yip 10 Posted 11/03/2025 at 00:57:59 My heart said Yes but my head said No.Richy is good at drawing foul. At 27, he's been kicked upon so many times with injuries getting harder to recover. I'm worried he'll be in the treatment room most of the time. Alan J Thompson 11 Posted 11/03/2025 at 05:28:16 I wouldn't be averse to Richarlison returning but the transfer fee and wages would have to be considered as at that price you'd also have to look at who else would be available.Christine(#7); I see one of your old stamping grounds, Ipswich Qld, was temporarily declared a disaster area until the river stopped rising yesterday. Si Cooper 12 Posted 11/03/2025 at 05:43:16 27 isn't old. For the right fee, sensible wages and providing he isn't now permanently plagued by injuries it could work.A few players have made successful returns to the club, and Everton have certainly had a few gems from those judged as past their best at higher-flying clubs.David Moyes has definitely benefitted from a return to the place where he first got properly rated so no reason Richy wouldn't return to his best form quickly as well.Moyes's success is just an example of what could happen, and doesn't materially affect how Richy's return would pan out in genera although, as things are going, he would be coming back to a much more upbeat club than he left. Dan Nulty 13 Posted 11/03/2025 at 06:42:29 More likely we will take him on loan as can only see Saudi Arabia stumping up what Levy would want. Robert Tressell 14 Posted 11/03/2025 at 07:15:40 Si, 27 really is old if you're spending more than a nominal fee or free. Add to that he's had injuries keeping him out for over a year in aggregate since we sold him. Add that together and you get a player on a big wage, who might play 15 games a season for three years who then leaves for free after barely contributing. No other clubs have built up and improved their squads with players like this.But we are a good example of a club that burned through money, nearly went bust and dragged the standard of the squad down with signings like this.So many other options. Sam Hoare 15 Posted 11/03/2025 at 07:18:42 There's no way that Spurs would sell him at a price that makes any sense for us. Which is probably around £15M or so. Any more than that and we're committing a really large chunk of our kitty to a player that is sadly beset by injury issues these days.Perhaps a loan could make sense as we could get perhaps him back to form but even that would probably require Spurs paying a chunk of his wages.The aim has to be finding the next Richarlison or Ndiaye rather than continuing to be led by the heart and looking only in the familiar home pools. Derek Thomas 16 Posted 11/03/2025 at 07:30:27 Having had the best of the now 'Old' Richarlison' We need to be signing 'Young Richarlison'... Unless the price is very, very, right – and with Levy I doubt it. Needs deep thought. Ian Bennett 17 Posted 11/03/2025 at 07:51:10 Will be interesting where he ends up. I hope he goes Spain and gets his career back on track.Steve Shave's comment that you could bring a Delap in for similar money is 100% right. Players that are hungry, something to prove, injury free and are getting better has to be the model.I love Richy, but we've been here too many times before. Colin Glassar 18 Posted 11/03/2025 at 08:03:51 No. Ian Bennett 19 Posted 11/03/2025 at 08:05:19 Sam - devil's advocate. Spurs offer him for a loan fee of £3m plus wages, with the option to buy for £18-21m if he does well.Would you take him then? David Bromwell 20 Posted 11/03/2025 at 08:20:02 No, thank you. I am hoping that these Hollywood signings are a thing of the past. Whilst I wish Richy well, transfers like this have proved to be a considerable risk and memories of our last deal with Spurs didn't turn out well. Christine Foster 21 Posted 11/03/2025 at 08:24:43 Alan @11,Yes still have family there, we got caught in the 2011 floods, cut off and couldn't get home for a week. I don't think it was as bad this time because the idiots running the catchment dams opened the floodgates last time and the water had nowhere to go. Floods big time. With this one it was more flash floods but around Moggill, Ipswich and Kenmore it was bad for a time. Christine Foster 22 Posted 11/03/2025 at 08:37:41 I think it's fair to say, despite Moyes, despite TFG, the chances of us spending £50M plus on immediate squad replacements this summer are pretty remote. As a result, I would not expect any marquee signings, and that leaves us between a few rocks and a hard place. Build the team by all means, but we will need a fair sprinkling of experience with a touch of quality, otherwise we will be a few years trying to get out from under the crap the last dynamic duo left us with.Richarlison fits the bill if the price is right, he ain't Dele, and truth be known we did Levy a huge favour with his wages saving Spurs a fortune!I understand the reluctance but we need to find a way back to the top table without breaking the bank. Nigel Scowen 23 Posted 11/03/2025 at 09:35:03 It's a no for me. 27, big money and a suspect injury record. We should make a big effort for Delap imho. Young, hungry and able to cut it in the Premier League.I am looking for sustained growth over a period of time now. Some would accuse me of lacking ambition here but I think a 12th-place finish next season followed by incremental leaps of two places a season leading to a Champions League place within 5 years is doable and realistic. We have a lot of teams to catch up to on a number of fronts, it's going to take a lot of windows to get there. I know people will be pointing to Forest as an example but the truth is they have been out spending us for years now. Sam Hoare 24 Posted 11/03/2025 at 09:37:36 Ian, I think that is maybe in the region of plausible yes. It depends on many things: what our overall budget is, what other opportunities there are, how his physical condition is, etc.I'd be happier at the loan part than the option fee. By the end of next season Richarlison will be almost 29 and I would never want us paying over £15M for a player that age unless we had serious budget to spend and could be assured f his availability and impact.He was a great player for us but I suspect he belongs to part of Everton's past rather than future. Christine Foster 25 Posted 11/03/2025 at 09:39:06 Nigel, I think you lack ambition.. couldn't resist it.. Danny O'Neill 26 Posted 11/03/2025 at 09:59:13 I'd have him back if the conditions are right. Richarlison in the forward position with Ndiaye, Alcaraz + one other behind him. He hasn't settled at Tottenham, which probably wasn't the right move for him.Christine, I've got quite a few friends over in Queensland, about 100 miles west of Brisbane in a place called Toowoomba. They are all ex-pats / ex military, who transferred from the British Army to the Australian Army when there was a targeted recruitment drive by the Aussies. I was close myself having gone through the process and at the last stage at the Embassy in London, before doing a u-turn.I was catching up with some of them last week. They must have gone native as they rode the storm out by having a "barbie"!!!I was in Christchurch NZ a few years back, not long after the earthquakes. I was taken aback by the level of destruction. The one thing I always remember about that trip was crossing the Cook Straight. Now, I have sea legs and I've had some worrying moments in low flying helicopters over the years, but I confess that, despite the outwardly brave face, inwardly, I was concerned as we were tossed in the swell!! Alan McMillan 27 Posted 11/03/2025 at 10:20:21 I would love Richarlison back. He loves the club and he hasn't quite worked out for him at Spurs, except of course when he plays us. If we could play to his strengths and if he can overcome his injuries during the last couple of years, then I think he'd be a great addition. Who can forget Richie running around with that blue flare, he gave everything when playing for us. If the financials work, then we should make it happen. He'd probably cost what Broja and Harrison would cost combined. Dave Abrahams 28 Posted 11/03/2025 at 10:23:23 Michael O/P I dont think any cold blooded considerations are needed to make this decision just common sense, too expensive, both fee and wages, too old, never consistently good first time round so my heart and head are saying “ Swerve this deal and get a better, younger player to go with the one we will be buying on a permanent deal very soon—Charly Alcaraz” Nigel Scowen 29 Posted 11/03/2025 at 10:42:26 Christine@25Ha, always have done Christine. Christine Foster 30 Posted 11/03/2025 at 10:49:36 Danny, Aussie is a harsh land of hard people, everything happens to excess, if it rains its a biblical flood, if the wind blows it will take your bloody roof off, you can't walk in your garden without leg protection because of the brown snakes and the rednecks, can't swim at the beach because of either the box jellyfish or the great white sharks..It sort of becomes second nature after a while.. NZ is a far better proposition if you love the outdoors and can live on an island light years away from civilisation! Crossed Cook strait a few times now, learnt to find a quiet spot and lay flat on the floor with my eyes closed for most of the crossing, have to say the views are bloody spectacular but you're right the sea swells are nightmarish, the last crossing was so bad we couldn't get into Wellington because of the high seas and had to sit it out for an extra 6 hours.. made the Bay of Biscay look like a paddling pool!Levy is not going to get anything like what he paid for Richarlison unless he goes to Saudi and I just can't see that.. I think a loan or a cheap deal is his only hope of getting back, but let me ask you this, who do we have that is better than Richarlison? DCL? Beto? McNeil? Harrison? In fact, anyone currently at the club? Anyone with his international experience, European experience, he was Brasils no9 for goodness sake, he is 27, too old?? He is desperate to return..If the stars align and the deal is right, do it. Clive Rogers 31 Posted 11/03/2025 at 10:58:16 My worry is that he is somewhat burned out. He played three full seasons on the trot without a proper break when he moved from Brazil to Watford then to us. He hasn't been the same since especially with injuries. It would have to be a much reduced fee. He may want to cash in in Saudi anyway. Robert Tressell 32 Posted 11/03/2025 at 11:43:42 Delap will cost a lot more than Richarlison I would have thought. Perhaps £45m, perhaps more. Richarlison probably about £30m.Delap is wanted by Chelsea, Utd, Arsenal and will probably go to a richer club than us.There isn't going to be much interest in Richarlison from outside Saudi which rings alarm bells.A loan might make sense. But it's interesting how impressed everyone has been with Bournemouth's squad - and yet Bournemouth have strategically ignore players like Richarlison. They strategically hunt for players elsewhere. In fact I can imagine only us and Villa and West Ham who would be interested in Richarlison in the Premier League. Ian Bennett 33 Posted 11/03/2025 at 11:58:16 I think Spurs have to be thinking about a modest loan fee to move him off the books. His injury record & wages I think rules out a European team paying £25-30m on the nose. Saudi sure, possibly a Roma on loan.Assuming a low loan fee of a £3-4m, then you'd look at and say that is a lot of player in ability terms vs the cash outlay. You'd get next to nothing for that as a perm buy, but it would supplement a squad short in numbers and quality. Similar to Broja in many ways.The haggle would be option to buy vs obligation to buy.In terms of Delap vs Richarlison - i dont disagree on the initial price - but clubs will look at the total commitment including wages and ability to recover transfer fees. I assuming Delap wages would be a fair chunk less than Richarlison's. Tom Bowers 34 Posted 11/03/2025 at 12:16:15 Very much a backward step for a club who should be going forward.His time at Spurs should be indicative of what we would get and we don't need another sick note and inconsistency for what he would cost.We need a younger, quicker player and someone like Delap would be a better option.The lads we have like Chermitti, Broja, Calvert-Lewin and Beto are just not reliable for different reasons.Moyes will need to release players to start a new era and quite a few have probably already been shortlisted.If we can get some others fully fit again, like Mangala, Ndiaye and McNeil then we may have a midfield that will compete better.It will be very interesting to see what happens by next season. Sam Hoare 35 Posted 11/03/2025 at 12:29:04 Ian @33 Forest got Hudson-Odoi for only £3M! Of course I know that's an anomaly but I tend to agree with Robert @32, we need to try and be smart in terms of building the squad with good value.A loan move for Richarlison if he's put his injuries behind him may fit that remit and could enable us to strengthen in other positions. Ironically left wing, which is his strongest position is probably where we are best catered for with Ndiaye and McNeil two of our best talents but Richarlison's ability to play across the front could be useful if the terms were right. Raymond Fox 36 Posted 11/03/2025 at 12:30:56 We aren't going to be challenging for Europe on the cheap, it's not impossible but it's unlikely. If we can afford it, I'd have Richarlison back, There's plenty of mileage left in him, he needs to play for his Argentinian place.This is the evil of PSR, clubs who started with more valuable squads can wheel and deal for more valuable players. It's another handicap that clubs such as ourselves have to try and overcome. It's patently unfair and everbody knows it; why the smaller clubs at the time voted for it beats me! Brian Williams 37 Posted 11/03/2025 at 12:35:43 Raymond, do you not remember Richi's song?It started like this."Heeeeee's Braaazilian".......... Christy Ring 38 Posted 11/03/2025 at 13:36:17 Ray #36,If he had to play for his Argentinian place, he'd be in deep shit! A massive fan of Richarlison, but with his constant hamstring injuries, a massive gamble. But for a low fee, I'd take a gamble. Colin Crooks 39 Posted 11/03/2025 at 15:48:57 Straight swap for DCL Ian Bennett 40 Posted 11/03/2025 at 17:34:21 Hell of a deal, Sam. £3M vs £35M they were chasing from Bayern a couple of years earlier. We probably spent £3m on scouting trips for Gnoto 😂.Elanga, Murillo, Milenkovic, Wood, Sels, Aina. There recruitment team has done unbelievably well. John Daley 41 Posted 11/03/2025 at 17:48:08 Did anyone actually consider Richarlison a centre-forward when he was with us? I know he turned out there on occasion when Calvert-Lewin was crocked, but his preferred position was always out on the left-wing and that's where he was predominantly used.Asking because I've just omitted him from an article covering all the strikers brought in to shoot blanks over the last 12 years, as I never considered him such. Wondering now whether I should have whacked him in there?Article is here if anyone is interested (well, the first part anyway…. cut us some slack, 17 of the shite-hawks to get through):Link Danny O'Neill 42 Posted 11/03/2025 at 18:14:02 He is versatile John and can be used wide, but is also considered to be a forward, playing there for Brazil. Liam Mogan 43 Posted 11/03/2025 at 18:53:23 Whilst I'll always reciprocate Richy's love-in with us, I feel we do need a new strategic model as is mentioned above. Buying back ex-players whose best days are behind them needs to be a thing of the past. Brian Wilkinson 44 Posted 11/03/2025 at 19:58:41 A loan deal would be ideal, any other club and we could probably negotiate a price. However, I do not hold out Levy letting him leave for a reasonable price… so a no from me. Si Cooper 45 Posted 12/03/2025 at 00:18:37 Robert (14), did you bother reading beyond the first sentence of my post? Pretty much all the caveats you mention were there in my second sentence.If hes cheap enough and if hes not physically impaired then 27 isnt old. Sam Hoare 46 Posted 12/03/2025 at 10:33:44 Ian, yes. I think Forest are a pretty good benchmark for what I'm hoping for from TFG. They have managed to build a very competitive squad pretty quickly with a mixture of great bargains (Aina, CHO, Selz, Murillo) and some well chosen more costly players (Gibbs-White, Elanga, Anderson). A mixture of youth and experience and crucially a squad that now perfectly suits the manager's game plan. They'll do well to stay in CL places but either way I expect them to stay in and around the top 7/8 if they continue to recruit well. I would hope to be in a similar spot in two years time if we get the right person/people to replace Thelwell. Mark Murphy 47 Posted 12/03/2025 at 23:52:17 Im in Mallorca and just watched, through envious eyes, the Athleti v Real game. Richi is the only recent Everton player I can realistically imagine playing for Real Madrid!Let me know when this is feasible so I can fill up with diesel and drive him home myself.Id absolutely love it!I think hes fucking brilliant! Michael Kenrick 48 Posted 13/03/2025 at 10:01:30 He's ready and waiting, Mark:According to a report by Football Insider, Richarlison is the subject of interest from Everton. The Toffees are scouring the market for a versatile and productive attacker heading into the summer transfer window and have set their sights on the Tottenham forward. And the Brazilian international is keen on returning to Goodison Park ahead of the 2025-26 season. Brian Harrison 49 Posted 13/03/2025 at 10:41:42 Like most, I loved Richarlison when he was here. I think most footbal fans love players who give their all, and on top of that, Richarlison had a fantastic bond with the fans. I suppose the downside is he has had a lot of injuries since leaving and my maxim has always been never go back — although I did make an exception with David Moyes. But maybe Richarlison may make me make an exception for him. Wouldn't it be great getting the old Richarlison back and having 52,000 Evertonians celebrating with him at BMD! Jimmy Carr 50 Posted 13/03/2025 at 11:30:17 Big No. Injury prone, would want big wages, not clinical in front of goal, not sure what problem he would be supposed to solve. We need a good young striker, don't we? He isn't it.Silly talk here that 'he loved the club'. So let's blow a load of money we haven't got on an injury prone player because he lit a blue flare a few seasons ago? Good, rational thinking. Sentimental nonsense here, probably clickbait elsewhere.There's a reason Big Ange wants rid. Robert Tressell 51 Posted 13/03/2025 at 11:59:50 Mark # 47, I reckon Branthwaite and Pickford would be closer to the current Real Madrid first XI than Richarlison. Richarlison might be a decent versatile sub at a Champions League club - which is his status now at Spurs by the looks of thing. Partly injuries, partly embarrassment of riches in the forward line at Spurs. Tom Bowers 52 Posted 13/03/2025 at 14:49:49 Bit of a big girl's blouse at times. May never be the striker he was. Not worth the risk except as a loan and paid on match-to-match basis. Mike Gaynes 53 Posted 13/03/2025 at 16:02:09 Not sure where the rose-colored memories of Richi's goalscoring prowess come from, so I looked it up. For Brazil he's been superb -- a goal every 144 minutes in his national colors.But in Premmier League competition, for his career he consistently scores every 270 minutes, or three full games. That ain't good. Similar rate to Calvert-Lewin. Capable Premier League forwards -- not superstars like Kane and Haaland and Isak, just quality guys like Wood and Wissa and Watkins -- bag a goal every 200 minutes or so. Jay Harris 54 Posted 13/03/2025 at 16:28:27 He seemed to score consistently for us (43 goals over 4 seasons) and had a terrific work rate. His body has taken so much abuse over the years which has made him very injury-prone and therefore a risk.I can't see Levy letting him go cheap either... so, while I would love the old Richy back, it's a No from me. Bill Fairfield 55 Posted 13/03/2025 at 16:35:29 Good player, but it would be a gamble with his injury record. Mihir Ambardekar 56 Posted 14/03/2025 at 15:06:53 Big no for 40 Million but great on loan! Martin Berry 57 Posted 18/03/2025 at 16:09:37 It wont happen because thankfully our Manager will be prudent and careful with spending.We love Richarlison but there are far too many risks, big fee, injuries and later sell-on fee, it just won't happen so let's move on. Ralph Basnett 58 Posted 20/03/2025 at 00:40:02 Give ex-players a massive wide berth!Struggling to think of any that have come back a better player and with Levy a deal is never easy.We have had our fingers burned too many times and hopefully TFG are tougher in their negotiations!We should should be looking at buying two types of players:1. A marquee signing or two that are proven and can make an instant impact.2. Low risk championship or below potential bargains that work or we can move on with little to no loss.We also have to as a priority get the youth through the system and on to the pitch or move them on.We have already ruined one sugar daddy and are just lucky another wants to risk the family silver on us!! Mick O'Malley 59 Posted 22/03/2025 at 18:15:43 No thanks, too much of a diver and too injury-prone.Who cares whether he loves Everton? So do I… and no one is signing me! Wide berth, no thanks. Paul Ferry 60 Posted 22/03/2025 at 18:37:14 Colin Crooks 39: Straight swap for Calvert-Lewin.Best post on here, except for Robert and Sam, needless to say. Colin Crooks 61 Posted 22/03/2025 at 19:09:25 I was being flippant, Paul.Spurs will want £25M for Richarlison. They can have Calvert-Lewin for nothing in a few weeks. Eric Haworth 62 Posted 22/03/2025 at 19:11:27 Hell No. Don't get me wrong: I liked him when he was here, but that was then. Putting past connections to one side and dealing with the here and now, who on here would pay circa £30M with £100k+ p/w salary for a 27-year-old injury-prone Spurs bench warmer, who's hardly kicked a ball for 2 seasons and is way past his best? It's insane. Paul Ferry 63 Posted 22/03/2025 at 21:54:48 Never thought that you were Colin. But wouldn't it be great if your straight swap worked! James Flynn 64 Posted 22/03/2025 at 00:48:28 Richy's injury record is so bad this season, it would be kind of foolish to sign him. He's 28 at the end of the season with a pair of legs that keep failing him. I still hold him in a lot of affection.Business is business. Add Your Comments In order to post a comment, you need to be logged in as a registered user of the site. » Log in now Or Sign up as a ToffeeWeb Member — it's free, takes just a few minutes and will allow you to post your comments on articles and Talking Points submissions across the site. How to get rid of these ads and support TW © ToffeeWeb