Tottenham can ignite bidding war as legendary manager approves striker raid – report | OneFootball

A battle is brewing for Tottenham striker Richarlison between clubs from two different continents, per the latest reports, as the optimal time for Spurs to cash in approaches.

Richarlison is out of contract in 2027, so faces an uncertain future ahead of the summer. It could be the last chance for Tottenham to recoup a decent fee for a player they paid Everton £50m plus add-ons for in 2022, but have only ever got mixed fortunes out of.

Amid the prospect of his value dropping, some clubs are starting to queue up in the race for Richarlison.

According to Fichajes, Flamengo are currently leading the race for Richarlison, in a move that would take him back to his native Brazil some nine years after he left Fluminense for Watford.

However, they have now been joined in the race by a top club who could keep him in Europe: Atletico Madrid.

The report claims Atleti boss Diego Simeone has given the green light to a move for Richarlison, believing he has the right kind of aggressive approach that would fit in well with his plans in the Spanish capital.

It remains to be seen if they will be able to overpower the emotional value of a return to Brazil for the 28-year-old, though.

As things stand, it seems Richarlison and his representatives are open to either destination, which could play into Tottenham’s hands if it means they can spark a bidding war.

Richarlison faces uncertain future

But with so much uncertainty around Tottenham at the moment, after the sacking of Thomas Frank and appointment of Igor Tudor on an interim basis amid the threat of being sucked into a relegation battle, Richarlison’s future isn’t so clear-cut.

Sources even suggested to TEAMtalk in December that Spurs could consider offering a new contract to Richarlison should he stay beyond the January transfer window, in order to protect his value and buy themselves time to assess his future.

Obviously, Richarlison remains at Tottenham after the January window, so these are the kind of considerations they will now have to have.

As for the latest claims, it’s worth remembering that Fichajes is not a particularly reliable outlet.

As much as it is a Spanish source and Richarlison does seem to have the attributes to play for Simeone’s side, rumours of him being a target for Atletico can’t be verified just yet.

TEAMtalk can confirm that Richarlison has shown interest in returning to Everton, while Fulham have monitored his situation in recent months as well.

Tottenham transfer news: Bergvall future; Defender battle

In other news, interest has been building in Tottenham midfielder Lucas Bergvall.

David Ornstein recently revealed that Aston Villa and Chelsea showed interest in Bergvall during January, and our correspondent Dean Jones has confirmed Villa – and another Premier League rival – are still keeping tabs on the Swedish star.