Paris Saint Germain may have won the 2021-22 Ligue 1 title, but their exit in the Round of 16 of this season’s UEFA Champions League left a lot to be desired. With Ángel Di María confirming that he will leave the club this summer, PSG will want to act quickly to bring in a replacement. One name who has been linked with joining Les Parisiens for weeks, if not months, is Everton forward Richarlison. Here, we will analyse what the 25-year-old Brazilian may bring to the PSG forward line.
Richarlison scored 10 goals for Everton in this Premier League season. Everton were in a relegation battle until their penultimate game of the season. In addition to his 10 goals, Richarlison also had five assists, meaning he was responsible for 34.88% of the team’s goals this season. He scored at a rate of 0.33 goals per 90 against an xG per 90 of 0.31. Richarlison attempted nearly five shots per game for the Toffees this season, with a success rate of just over 60%. The 25-year-old managed to hit nearly one-third of his shots on target.
Yet, for all his attacking output at Goodison Park this season, it is the defensive work rate of Richarlison that stood out. He was successful in 76% of the defensive actions he attempted. According to FBREF, the 25-year-old Brazilian ranks in the top 10% or higher for forwards in the following categories: Pressures per 90, Tackles per 90, Interceptions per 90, Blocks per 90 and Clearances per 90. The current front three of Kylian Mbappe, Lionel Messi and Neymar are not exactly known for their willingness or ability to defend from the front. In this regard, Richarlison might be an excellent addition to PSG’s attack.
Displayed above is the shot map of Richarlison for Everton in this Premier League season. Three of his 10 goals came from the penalty spot. Every single goal of Richarlison came from inside the box. He missed a few chances which had an xG value of 0.5 or over. Overall, Richarlison took 70 shots this season, meaning he had a conversion rate of seven shots per goal scored.
Operating on the left wing, Richarlison cut inside frequently from the flank and created threats. He made one carry into the penalty area per game this season for Everton. The 25-year-old also drew 2.96 fouls per 90, which ranks him in the top 8%.
Shown above are the pass sonar, xT timeline and maps of Richarlison for Everton this season. He regularly created an xT value of 0.5 or greater throughout the match. The 25-year-old Brazilian created threats in the final third and the opposition’s penalty area on a regular basis.
Richarlison largely carried an underachieving Everton side this season to safety. He might be a very good replacement for the outgoing Ángel Di María, but there are a number of factors to be considered if PSG want to sign the Brazilian. Some of these include the fee demanded by Everton, possible competition for his signature (from Barcelona and Bayern Munich), and playing time offered to him. Being a World Cup year, the Everton man will want to play and perform if he is to be selected for the World Cup squad by coach Tite.
