In The Money: Daniel Levy could save millions at Tottenham as MOTD pundit shares transfer view
Richarlison gave Ange Postecoglou food for thought with his unexpectedly stunning performance for Tottenham in their 4-1 win over Newcastle on Sunday.
Spurs returned to winning ways with a bang by beating the Champions League side with relative ease at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and moving to be within three points of the Premier League’s top four.
Richarlison, 26, was in the starting line-up for the first time since October and, as a striker, managed to double his Premier League goal tally for Tottenham by grabbing a brace.
There’s been a lot of talk about Spurs needing to sign a new centre-forward in the January transfer window due to Harry Kane not being replaced earlier this year when he joined Bayern Munich.
The Mirror reported on Sunday (10 December) that Postecoglou is “optimistic” of signing a new centre-forward next month and “some sources” say Brentford’s Ivan Toney is a target while Feyenoord’s Santiago Gimenez has been dubbed a more “viable” option.
But Richarlison could potentially save Spurs a lot of money if he’s able to maintain the form he showcased against Newcastle at the weekend.
Ex-Magpies goalkeeper Shay Given was thoroughly impressed by the Brazil international and his attacking teammates for the way they hunted in a pack.
Given also addressed the transfer speculation surrounding a new striker being needed in North London.
Speaking on Match of the Day 2 on Sunday (10 December), Given said: “Son has been a number nine but he’s gone onto the left-hand side with Johnson on the opposite side and Kulusevski as a number 10. And, of course, Richarlison.
“You see them here in the first picture with the shape of the team. Son and Johnson give you the width.
“I thought Son was absolutely brilliant. Richarlison had a point to prove as well because there’s talk about bringing in a centre-forward maybe in January for Ange Postecioglou to strengthen that [striker] position.
“But after today’s performance, these four worked really, really well and I felt for Newcastle at times because they had so many numbers in the box and so much movement in the box. It was very difficult to defend against.”
Richarlison has now registered 3.7 xG this season, which has already surpassed the 3.3 he achieved throughout the entirety of the last Premier League season [FBRef].
He’s also registered 4.23 shots per 90 minutes – up from 2.41 from last term – as he continues to slot in nicely into the centre-forward role.
Is this where Spurs have gone wrong in recent weeks? No one would have really thought it because his form hasn’t been that great at all in his time in North London.
But Richarlison’s last start was also Spurs’ last win. He was then an unused substitute for the loss against Chelsea, missed the Wolves and Aston Villa losses with a groin injury and then was no more than a late substitute for the draw with Manchester City and the loss to West Ham.
He started and played 73 minutes against the Magpies – and Tottenham won.
Could Richarlison potentially save Daniel Levy millions in the January transfer window based on this revelation?
Sky Sports reported on 1 November that Brentford want £100million for Toney while on 27 October, 90min claimed that Feyenoord want £87million for Gimenez.
Tottenham don’t really have that money to spend.
The Athletic journalist David Ornstein reported last Thursday (7 December) that Spurs have already spent the money they made from cashing in on Kane to Bayern Munich and due to recent financial crackdowns in the Premier League, the club will be mindful of their own limits when the transfer window re-opens in three weeks’ time.
Richarlison has already cost £60million and he’s shown in the last few weeks that Tottenham struggle without him starting and that he can score goals against one of the strongest teams in the division when he has players on the same wavelength supporting him.
In other Tottenham news, Spurs should have cash the burn despite Ornstein’s update.