Tottenham’s record signing Richarlison has revealed his reasons behind choosing Spurs over fierce rivals Arsenal and Chelsea, both of whom were linked with an eleventh-hour move for the attacker.
In July, Spurs beat rivals to sign Brazilian attacker Richarlison, paying a fee which could rise up to 60 million pounds if the additional add-ons are achieved, on a contract until 2027. According to reports, Tottenham withstood an eleventh-hour assault from Chelsea for the player while Arsenal, too, attempted to sign the forward sometime over the course of the transfer window.
Speaking in an interview, the 25-year-old revealed that his choice came down to the simple fact that Tottenham came in first and paid Everton’s asking price in full. Furthermore, he claimed that he was happy to join a “big team” – and that Spurs coach Antonio Conte’s phone call was key for him to decide which side to join.
“I know Chelsea made an offer, and I believe Arsenal also contacted Everton to ask about my situation, but Spurs came in and paid the fee, you know? It’s as simple as that. Everton had to sell some players to avoid a Financial Fair Play problem, and the negotiations were very brief, to be honest,”
he explained.
“I was on holiday in Brazil when I heard that Tottenham had made Everton an offer. I was happy because they are a huge team.
“Antonio Conte called me during the negotiations and expressed how much he’d like to have me on board – that was vital for my decision.”
The Brazilian has made six appearances for Conte’s high-flying Tottenham so far in the Premier League – although he is yet to score a goal. However, he netted a brace in his UEFA Champions League debut for the North Londoners, in a 2-0 win over Olympique Marseille.
Richarlison is currently on international duty with the Selecao, for whom he won his 37th cap in a friendly against Ghana. He scored a brace in a 3-0 win to cap off another memorable performance – his 15th and 16th international goals.
