Godwin ObajeEverton Turn to South American Talent as Lucas Ferreira Emerges as Richarlison Alternative
Everton are reportedly weighing up a move for highly rated São Paulo winger Lucas Ferreira as the club shifts its recruitment strategy towards unearthing emerging South American talent — rather than revisiting former stars.
Ferreira, 20, is considered one of the brightest young players in Brazil and has been catching the eye during a promising Copa Libertadores campaign with São Paulo. According to reports from Brazilian journalist Jorge Nicola, via Antenados no Futebol, both Everton and Wolverhampton Wanderers are monitoring the winger’s progress closely.
The potential pursuit of Ferreira comes at a time when speculation continues to swirl around a possible return to Goodison Park for Richarlison. The Brazilian forward remains a cult hero among the Everton fanbase following a productive four-year spell on Merseyside between 2018 and 2022, in which he scored 53 goals in 152 appearances.
However, while the affection between club and player remains intact, the idea of re-signing the 28-year-old — who has struggled with injuries and form since his move to Tottenham — sits uneasily with the club’s new leadership. Having previously paid £35 million to sign Richarlison from Watford, Everton now appear reluctant to reinvest heavily in a player approaching his thirties, particularly after recent financial issues.
The Blues were hit with points deductions last season for breaches of the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR), prompting a serious rethink in how the club operates. With the Friedkin Group now overseeing affairs at boardroom level and David Moyes back in the Goodison dugout, Everton are looking to build smarter, not bigger.
That’s where players like Ferreira fit the bill. The winger has shown flashes of real quality for São Paulo, earning praise for his acceleration, one-on-one dribbling and fearless attacking instincts. While still relatively unknown to most in Europe, his profile fits a growing trend among Premier League clubs to secure South American talent before their value skyrockets.
Brighton & Hove Albion have become the poster club for such an approach, famously signing Ecuador international Moisés Caicedo for just £4.5 million in 2021 before selling him to Chelsea for a British record £115 million two years later. Everton were one of several clubs who passed on Caicedo at the time — a missed opportunity that appears to have informed their new scouting priorities.
With Everton preparing to move into their new 52,888-capacity Hill Dickinson Stadium in August, the club is keen to usher in a new era — both on the pitch and behind the scenes. There is a clear desire to avoid the pitfalls of the Farhad Moshiri era, when lavish spending produced little return.
Although no formal negotiations with São Paulo have yet been reported, Everton’s interest in Ferreira highlights the club’s move away from nostalgia and towards long-term development.
Whether or not Ferreira becomes the next gem unearthed from Brazil, Everton’s direction is clear: identify the next Richarlison — before he costs £50 million.
Godwin Obaje
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