With the transfer window coming to an end and interest dwindling, Sky Sports had to do something to try and liven things up so yesterday they pulled their rabbit out of the hat.
Without warning or even a hint from anywhere, they announced, via yellow ticker tape and big, bold letters that Everton have rejected a €100m bid from Barcelona for Richarlison.
To say the news caught everyone by surprise would be putting it mildly. Fans quickly flocked to discuss the move, debated his value and everything in between.
Those with just an ounce of sense, though, quickly rubbished the claims. Not only was this completely out of the blue, there hadn’t even been a hint about it in Spain despite the bid being made earlier this week, it just sounded like nonsense.
And so it proved to be. Everton quickly got in touch with their favourite journalists and made it clear that there had never been a bid.
In fact, with such scorn was the rumour received that they didn’t even bother to cover it in Spain, not even to ridicule the idea.
Sport have picked up on it today, though, and while they’ve not outright stated that the report is nonsense, they’ve explained why it is.
The newspaper says that finding a replacement for Luis Suarez, who is out with a hamstring injury, is a big priority for Barça this month and as a result, the list of players linked with them is ‘extensive’.
Some have been ‘very close’ to signing, such as Rodrigo, while the likes of Pierre Emerick Aubameyang has also been linked regularly. Then there’s Richarlison.
According to Sport, it is ‘surprising’ to see him linked, not because he lacks the quality, but because of the difficulties involved in signing him.
Josep Maria Bartomeu and the Barcelona board have ‘rejected’ making a significant investment in a loan signing, while it is also ‘economically unfeasible’ for them to make a multi-million dollar signing until the summer.
In that light, Sky’s report that Barça had offered Everton €100m for Richarlison ‘does not seem to fit’ given that the Catalans have already rejected the idea of spending €60m on Rodrigo or Aubameyang.
It’s also argued that, at 22, Richarlison would ‘enter into competition’ with the likes of Lautaro Martinez or Neymar, who are ‘two favourite goals’ at the Camp Nou.
In conclusion, it’s all nonsense. Barcelona have rejected the idea of spending big money this month and even if they were going to (which they can’t), there are other players far ahead of Richarlison on the list anyway. Everton fans can breathe easy.
