Richarlison to Everton? What’s real, what’s rumor, and what a reunion would look like in January

Talk of Richarlison returning to Everton has roared back into the headlines this weekend. Multiple reports in the past 24–48 hours say the Brazilian is open to a Goodison Park comeback in January, with Everton exploring ways to make a deal work mid-season. Here’s where things stand, why the move appeals on both sides, and the obstacles that could still block it.

The state of play: interest, willingness, and moving pieces

• Everton’s stance: The club is actively weighing attacking reinforcements for the winter window and has assessed a Richarlison reunion among its options. Contingency targets remain on the list, but the idea is considered viable if the structure is right.

• Player’s view: Richarlison is described as receptive to an Everton return. He retains strong ties to the club and city after a four-year spell that produced big moments and a bond with supporters.

• Tottenham’s position: Spurs are listening. Any exit mid-season would hinge on fee, salary share, and squad health. If their forward rotation is stretched, leverage swings back to north London.

Nothing is agreed. The present phase is about feasibility: finances, timing, and how a move affects each club’s season goals.

Why Everton want him (again)

1. Immediate end product. Everton’s attack has lacked reliable, repeatable goals. Richarlison brings Premier League-proven finishing plus chaos-factor pressing that creates chances others can finish.

2. Tactical fit under Moyes. In a 4-2-3-1/4-4-2 hybrid, he can play No. 9 or left forward, attack the back post, and spearhead the counterpress—traits that dovetail with a compact block and fast transitions.

3. Personality and edge. Everton’s best recent runs have featured front-line snarl. Richarlison supplies it, along with the crowd-igniting moments that can flip home fixtures.

Why Richarlison might push for it

• Guaranteed role. At Everton he’d be the focal point rather than a rotational piece.

• Career reset. A strong spring in a familiar environment could set up either a permanent return or a broader market in the summer.

• Emotional pull. His connection with Everton’s fanbase is rare; few players get a chance to rekindle that story at their peak age.

The money: how a deal could be structured

• Loan with option/obligation. The most realistic route is a loan through June with an option (or conditional obligation) to buy tied to appearances, goals, or survival/placement clauses.

• Wage share. Expect a negotiated salary split for the remainder of the season; a full, permanent buy in January is less likely unless an outgoing sale balances the books.

• PSR/FFP guardrails. Everton must keep within profitability and sustainability rules. Deferred fees and clear triggers are standard tools to stay compliant.

Football reasons: what changes on the pitch

• Penalty-box presence. Near-post darts and back-post headers add a threat Everton lack when build-up stalls.

• Pressing trigger. He turns lost causes into second balls; that territorial squeeze can lift chance volume even without pristine build-up.

• Set-piece gravity. Defenders track him first, freeing a late runner or back-post mismatch.

• Versatility. If a target striker starts, Richarlison can work the left channel; if he leads the line, wingers attack inside lanes off his hold-up play.

Risks and unknowns

• Availability. His last two seasons included interruptions; medicals and load management matter.

• Spurs’ calculus. If injuries or form tighten their options, they can stall or raise terms late in the window.

• Opportunity cost. Committing winter resources to one star narrows room for a second addition (e.g., a box-to-box or right-back depth piece).

The Goodison history that fuels the talk

• 2018–2022: 53 goals in 152 appearances, talismanic performances in survival fights, and a reputation for delivering in febrile, high-pressure matches.

• 2022 move south: A big-money switch followed; flashes of form arrived in streaks, but a stop-start rhythm and injuries muted consistency. The chemistry with Everton’s crowd remains a unique selling point a reunion would instantly restore.

What to watch next (this week)

1. Noise vs. negotiation. Real movement looks like talks about structure—loan fee, wage split, buy option levels—not just “interest.”

2. Squad signals. If Everton accelerate outgoings or free up salary, it’s a breadcrumb that they’re clearing runway.

3. Fitness updates in north London. A healthier forward group there increases the odds Spurs cash in—or at least green-light a loan.

The Richarlison–Everton story has fresh legs: the club needs goals, the player is open, and Spurs are pragmatic sellers at the right number. A January reunion is plausible, not promised—dependent on a loan-first structure that satisfies financial guardrails and on Spurs’ squad health. If it happens, Everton would be getting more than a scorer; they’d be restoring a symbolic heartbeat to an attack that’s been too quiet for too long.