Everton manager Frank Lampard would rather sacrifice Richarlison than Dominic Calvert-Lewin if it came down to it this summer, according to Sky Sports reporter Michael Bridge.

The Lowdown: Linked with moves away

Both Toffees attackers have been linked with moves away from Goodison Park in recent months following the narrow retention of their Premier League status.

According to The Athletic, Tottenham are interested in signing Richarlison this summer, whilst Football Insider have reported that both Arsenal and Newcastle are leading the race for Calvert-Lewin.

The Latest: Bridge’s Everton claim

Following Everton’s dire season, Bridge believes that the Toffees will be looking to undergo a rebuild under Lampard. As a result, he suspects that the Merseyside club will need to sell either Richarlison or Calvert-Lewin as a means of raising funds for a transfer spree.

Speaking with GiveMeSport, he claimed: “I get the impression that if Frank Lampard wants to build again, he might have to sacrifice one key player. And you’d probably imagine they’d want Calvert-Lewin to stay over Richarlison, I don’t know. That’s just my opinion.”

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The Verdict: Tough decision

Whilst Richarlison was comfortably Everton’s most important player this season, as illustrated by him leading the squad's SofaScore rankings, it would be unfair to compare it with the England striker’s recent form, given that the 25-year-old was riddled with injuries throughout the 2021/22 campaign.

The former Watford man has produced 53 goals and 14 assists in 152 appearances for the Toffees, whilst Calvert-Lewin netted 58 goals and added 18 assists in 191 matches for the club.

Therefore, if Lampard has to let one of these two go in order to fund prospective incomings, it will be a tough decision for the club to make.

In other news: Everton are battling with another Premier League club for this transfer target