Is £60 million too much to pay to bring Richarlison to Tottenham?

According to numerous sources, Tottenham are in pole position to sign Richarlison, but is the Brazilian worth the £60 million it will cost to get the deal over the line? 

The 25-year-old has incredible upside. He’s 25 years old and should have his best years still in front of him. He can also play various attacking positions, including as the sole front man when Harry Kane requires a brief respite.

Netting 10 times and adding five helpers, Richarlison chipped in with either a goal or assist every two matches last season. He was also instrumental in ensuring Everton escaped what would have been a catastrophic drop to the Championship. He scored the 75th-minute equalizer in Everton’s eventual win over Crystal Palace, assuring their place in the forthcoming Premier League campaign.

Let’s not forget, though, that Richarlison was still part of a consistently underperforming, at times abject, Everton side. They were never expected to be part of the relegation conversation, which could seen as a damning blight on the Brazilian’s character.

Richarlison, though, was left to his own devices — especially after Dominic Calvert-Lewin went down with a long-term injury — as Everton’s loan front man. It would be harsh to find the Brazilian culpable for Everton’s downfall.

Transfermarkt.com has the skillful Brazilian valued at just over £40 million. However, it will almost assuredly cost Tottenham £60 million to cement the signing.

That’s a lot of money for a player who, even for his immense talent, runs hot and cold. He can go missing for weeks at a time and is also known to occasionally turn sour, particularly with teammates.

He’s passionate, if not enigmatic, and could, if things don’t go his way, disrupt, even damage, the chemistry and feel-good factor in the locker room.

Then again, he could also take full flight and ascend to imperious heights under Antonio Conte’s leadership. Conte and Fabio Paratici know precisely what they’re doing, so if they say he’s worth £60 million, that’s good enough for me.

Though I’m still left with some apprehension, a gut feeling that Richarlison could struggle living up to the hype and expectations a swollen £60 million price tag comes with.