Tottenham Hotspur player Richarlison has admitted that Arsenal and Chelsea showed an interest in signing him in the summer window. Speaking to FourFourTwo, Richarlison said that both the clubs had enquired about his availability. However, only Tottenham “came in and paid the fee” to snatch Richarlison from the hands of Everton. The player joined Tottenham on a transfer fee of £60m from Everton.
Richarlison also said that Tottenham boss Antonio Conte was the major reason he joined the club. Conte’s phone call was the deciding factor when Richarlison was deciding on what club to join. Richarlison has had a promising start since joining Spurs. However, he is yet to start any games for the club. His most impressive display of prowess came in the Champions League match against Marseille. Richarlison’s two goals against Marseille were a testament to his abilities as a proven matchwinner.
What Richarlison said about joining Tottenham
Speaking on his decision to join Tottenham, Richarlison said:
“I was on holiday in Brazil when I heard that Tottenham made Everton an offer. I was happy, because they are a huge team. Then it was all about the clubs negotiating a deal and, fortunately, everything went well. 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.”
Speaking about the interest from Chelsea and Arsenal, he further added:
“I know Chelsea made an offer. And I believe Arsenal also contacted Everton to ask about my situation. But Tottenham 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.“
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