WATFORD, ENGLAND - JANUARY 06: Etienne Capoue of Watford battes with Lloyd Kelly of Bristol City watched by Richarlison of Watford and Marlon Pack of Bristol City during the Emirates FA Cup Third Round match between Watford and Bristol City at Vicarage Road on January 6, 2018 in Watford, England. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)
Tottenham should take advantage of Watford’s upheaval
Tottenham need to swoop for Richarlison
Watford caught the Premier League by surprise yesterday by parting ways with manager Marco Silva. Tottenham cannot afford to feel sympathy for the Hornets. Instead, Spurs should make every effort to take advantage of Watford’s misfortune.
Mauricio Pochettino clearly needs more offensive firepower and Watford happen to have a very intriguing prospect. Richarlison is a player that has already been on Spurs’ radar and Silva’s departure opens up a realistic chance that he might want out of Vicarage Road. The Brazilian international clearly expressed his displeasure with the move via social media yesterday.
Simply put, Tottenham should try to take advantage of his irritation. It would be relatively simple to express interest in the wide man in an effort to turn his head. Watford are struggling to stay in the top half of the Premier League while Tottenham are legitimate Champions League contenders. That sort of glitz and glamour could certainly be attractive to a 20-year-old who has just arrived in England.
Of course, Watford are going to do their best to hold on to their most valuable young asset. Hornets’ ownership know their fans are upset with Silva’s unceremonious sacking. They don’t want to compound their public relations nightmare by letting such a talented player leave the club in January either.
That means it would still require Daniel Levy to sanction a sizable bid for Richarlison’s services. It seems that Tottenham are already committed to spending big for the right attacker though. Rumours of the club’s interest in Lucas Moura and Malcom have recently lit the English tabloid’s ablaze.
Purchasing Richarlison would, in many ways, be a safer move for Pochettino. Even though he’s just 20 years of age, he already has significant familiarity with life in England and the competition of the Premier League. It’s not as if he has England’s top flight all figured out, but he already has some level of comfort with opponents Tottenham would face week in and week out.
In the end, it would be a surprise to see Spurs turn their transfer gaze towards Richarlison instead of their previously established targets. That doesn’t mean it’s impossible though. Swooping for Watford’s most talented player would be a stroke of genius for Tottenham.
