“He would suit the way Chelsea play” – Glen Johnson feels ‘it could be a sensible move’ if 25-year-old star makes Stamford Bridge switch
Former England right-back Glen Johnson believes Everton forward Richarlison would be a 'sensible' signing for Chelsea as he would suit head coach Thomas Tuchel's style of play.
The 25-year-old Brazilian is expected to leave Goodison Park this summer. He has also attracted interest from London rivals Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur (according to the Daily Mail via HardTackle).
While Chelsea are on the lookout for a prolific goalscorer to replace the unsettled Romelu Lukaku, Arsenal are keen to fill the void left by the departures of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette. Tottenham, on the other hand, are desperate to strengthen their squad ahead of their return to the UEFA Champions League.
He’s Brazilian 🎼 https://t.co/jbKs2IjtBF
Speaking to BettingOdds, former Blues defender Johnson said (via Metro):
"I certainly believe he would suit the way Chelsea play more than Romelu Lukaku. Whether he’s good enough to be their main man and get 20 goals a season, then I’m not so sure."
He added:
"I do like him though and I think he’s a good player and it could be a sensible move if the fee is reasonable."
Richarlison helped Everton avoid relegation to the EFL Championship last season by scoring 10 goals in the Premier League. Overall, he has scored 53 goals in 152 appearances for the Toffees.
Chelsea look for a defensive rebuild
Apart from bolstering their attack with a forward, Chelsea are also aiming to add to their squad depth with quality defenders. Antonio Rudiger has joined Real Madrid whereas Andreas Christensen has been released and looks likely to join Barcelona on a free transfer (as per Goal). The futures of captain Cesar Azpilicueta and Marcos Alonso are still in doubt.
According to a report by The Sun, the London club are pondering a move for Wolverhampton Wanderers defender Rayan Ait-Nouri. The left wing-back, who is under contract at Molineux until 2026, made 27 appearances last season, scoring once.
Chelsea are still on course to sign Jules Kounde despite alarming comments with the France national team. 🤕
Surgery is minor but needed. He hopes to make pre-season. Both Chelsea and Sevilla were aware of the situation.
Meanwhile, the Blues have also reportedly entered the race to sign Juventus centre-back Matthijs de Ligt (as per Metro). They are still keen on bringing long-term target Jules Kounde to Stamford Bridge from Sevilla.