'Richarlison will attract big clubs but difficult to get Everton forward' - Marco Silva
Marco Silva speaks about the young Brazilian he brought to England and nurtured at both Watford and Everton in an exclusive interview with Sky Sports News
Tuesday 9 June 2020 11:43, UK
Marco SIlva believes it's inevitable big clubs will want to sign Richarlison because he is always improving - but it will be difficult for any to sign the Everton forward.
Silva brought Richarlison to the UK with Watford in 2017 before taking him Everton a year later and overseeing the 23-year-old development into a proven Premier League player.
The forward was the subject of an £85m bid from Barcelona in January - exclusively revealed by Sky Sports News - that was rejected, but Silva insists the player's attitude means he would not have had his head turned by such attention.
"I don't know if it was true or not," Silva said in an exclusive interview with Sky Sports News. "You know how rumours are inside of football. When the market is coming, the names of the clubs start to come as well for your best players.
"What I know is that Richarlison was really focused on Everton in that period, and I'm sure it is the same now.
"If big clubs come for him in the future I think it will not distract him - never - because he likes the club and the way everyone welcomed him, and this is the most important thing.
"First he has to keep proving his quality. What he can get is up to him. He is so young. He has already reached the Brazil national team. They have fantastic players but they already chose him as an important player for them. That's a fantastic thing.
"It's important to achieve important things at Everton and after we will see what type of clubs come to him. I can't speak for what Everton is thinking but I'm sure Everton are not thinking of selling.
"And for sure it would be difficult for one club to buy Richarlison."
Richarlison scored just five Premier League goals in his one season under Silva at Watford but the 42-year-old saw enough to convince the Everton hierarchy to spend £50m on the Brazil international.
He has since scored 26 in 69 games in all competitions for the Toffees and has continued to be key under new manager Carlo Ancelotti, as they prepare to resume the season later this month, currently sitting 12th in the table.
Silva said: "He made many improvements, and I think he is still improving. I know him very well. His first steps in Premier League was under me, and what I saw from him was always a player improving.
"He has the skills but also the way he works every day, and the way he fit so fast in the clubs with myself means he can adapt into different types of football and clubs.
"He is still young and even so he has achieved good things. He has to keep proving his quality and most importantly he will keep working to do that. I know how the boy works.
"He is fast, very good finish with left and right, and strong in the air as well. Its not easy to find a player with such good skills and playing in different positions in the attacking third as well."
Watch the Premier League live on Sky Sports
- 64 live games on Sky Sports from restart date of June 17
- 25 games to be made freely available
- New Sky Sports digital innovations also planned to enhance fan experience
The Premier League 2019/20 season will restart on Wednesday, June 17 and Sky, the UK's leading football broadcaster, will make 25 games available 'free to air' - including Everton vs Liverpool on the first full weekend back - for everyone in the UK to enjoy.
Sky Sports will show 64 live Premier League games when the season resumes. In addition to the 39 matches already scheduled to be broadcast exclusively live on Sky Sports before the coronavirus interruption, 25 more matches will be available on both Sky Sports Premier League and Sky's free-to-air Pick channel, allowing the whole nation to be part of the return of live sport.
To celebrate the return of the Premier League, Sky Sports will also launch a host of innovative new features and updates to give fans an even more immersive experience and share the moments live with family and friends on virtual platforms.
