Benitez provides Everton update on Richarlison, James Rodriguez & Moise Kean

Everton are off to Brighton & Hove Albion tomorrow in the Premier League with Graham Potter’s side flying high after two big wins to start the season. However, all the attention today around the club is on three possibly outgoing players with Richarlison, Moise Kean and James Rodriguez all being linked with exits over the last couple of days.

With four days left in the summer transfer window, Rafa Benitez called for patience during his pre-match press conference earlier today while getting in a few jibes at the media.

“We still have time, we are working on that. Until the 31st of August we have plenty of time to try to do something.

“Obviously we have some players that people know they are good players. This speculation is something that you have to do because you have to give information to the fans, but for us coaches we have to concentrate on what we have, and what we have at the moment is our players here and an important game against Brighton. We have to try to do our best to make sure we are ready, that’s it.”

When asked if a big offer were to come in for Richarlison, would the Blues considering selling him, Benitez was firm in his response -

“We are not considering selling him. He is our player, we are really pleased with him, really happy. Hopefully he can score a lot of goals this year for us.”

A transfer out for James Rodriguez as a makeweight for a loan deal for Colombian international winger Luis Diaz from FC Porto has been mooted, what did Benitez have to say about him?

“To be fair, it’s what I said before. So sorry about that, but I cannot give you too many answers to these questions. These players are our players, still we have some days to keep working on one way or another way.

“We will see. Maybe if you ask me the question in three days you will have the solution, today it’s just speculation so I cannot say too much, sorry about that.”

With Cristiano Ronaldo sealing his Juventus exit, the Italian giants are again being linked with coming back for Moise Kean two summers after the Blues bought him from the Bianconeri.

“The reality is that he’s our player, he did well last year, and he’s with us. Then we have to deal with the situation not with the transfer window. We can continue talking about that [the speculation] but we will not have the solution.

“So we have to wait a few days, see where we are, and after maybe the next press conference it will be easier because we will have some facts instead of just the speculation.”

Regarding the red card that Kean got following his reaction to a poor tackle midweek against Huddersfield, Benitez reiterated his comments from the post-match that day.

“During the game it was difficult because I couldn’t see the incident from the beginning.

“After we cannot change what has gone on. Now he has to learn, he’s a young player, he’s suspended now and that’s what we have. He needs to learn for the future.”

Looks like we’re going to be in for a rollercoaster ride for the last few days of the transfer window.