Everton have been linked with a potential move for Richard Rios who has gone from playing futsal to having a starring role at Copa America but what might the midfielder bring to their team? The Colombian international plays his club football for Palmeiras and cite Brazilian outlet UOL as reporting that and newly-promoted Leicester City have approached the Sao Paulo-based side about a deal.
Although the article states that neither club have made an official offer as of yet, while Rios has an “astronomical” release clause of €100million (£84.28million), Palmeiras would be willing to let him go for around €20million (£16.86million). Rios was an ever-present for ex-Everton midfielder Colombia at this summer’s Copa America tournament as his side got all the way to the final at the Hard Rock Stadium, Miami, before losing 1-0 after extra time to Lionel Messi’s Argentina.
Born in Vegachi, a town some 3,220 feet above sea level with a tropical monsoon climate, on June 2, 2000 – a month before another extrovert central midfielder Thomas Gravesen joined Everton – Rios started out playing futsal, an indoor small-sided version of the game devised in South America that uses a lower bounce ball which. emphasises control, improvisation, creativity and technique. While representing Colombia at the 2018 Under-20 Futsal Championship in the Peruvian capital of Lima, Rios caught the eye of Rio de Janeiro-based Flamengo and two months later signed for their youth team after a successful trial period.
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