'It's the club's decision': Watford boss Marco Silva non-committal over Tottenham target Richarlison

Watford manager Marco Silva is hopeful of keeping star attacker Richarlison away from the clutches of Tottenham Hotspur but admis the Brazilian's future will ultimately decided by the club's owners.

Richarlison has been something of a revelation since arriving in Hertfordshire from Brazilian outfit Fluminense for £11.5m ($15.5m) in the summer transfer window and has gone on to form a strong partnership with Andre Gray, who has not been as prolific,g as his attacking teammate.

The 20-year-old's form for the Hornets has inevitably drawn interest from the Premier League's fabled 'top six', with Tottenham reportedly identifying the forward as the man they need to freshen up their at times static attack. Mauricio Pochettino's men have also been linked with a move for West Ham United playmaker Manuel Lanzini, who has yet to pen fresh terms with the troubled Irons.

Watford chief executive Scott Duxbury recently rubbished suggestions of a move for Richarlison, and Silva, who was tempted to take up the reins at Everton, is keen to see his stars remain at Vicarage Road, though he conceded that Richarlison's fate is in the hands of the club's owners.

"For us as a club it is important to keep our best players," Silva said in his press conference after their 1-1 draw with Tottenham, relayed by Football.London. "It's normal. We know our players are doing well and some are improving a lot. It's normal other clubs pay attention to them."

"It's that it's the club's decision," added Silva. "The owner will decide what is best."

Silva's comments won't exactly fill Watford's fanbase with confidence, and Tottenham could use a potential deal for Richarlison as an opportunity to offload some of their unwanted fringe players. Georges-Kevin N'Koudou and Joshua Onomah could potentially be used by Spurs in a part-exchange deal for Richarlison, who has also been of interest to Arsenal in recent weeks.