He has been operating on the left of the attack for the Merseyside outfit, but he played centrally for Brazil earlier this month, netting twice in a 5-0 victory over El Salvador.

Silva, who also managed Richarlison at Watford last season, was asked on Friday if the Fulham game would see the 21-year-old playing down the middle.

He said: “It’s possible, everything is possible, depending on my decision.

“What I know is he has performed really well where he’s playing now, and he can perform well as well as a striker.

“It’s not a position where he’s played many, many times. He played sometimes in Brazil in that position, here in the Premier League maybe just two or three games, and of course he had a fantastic (full) debut for the national team as a striker.

“Maybe because of that everybody is talking about this situation, and in the last game we created a very, very good number of chances and didn’t score.”

Silva also said what Richarlison’s compatriot Bernard could offer on the left was “one more reason for that conversation”.

He added: “It’s one solution when you have a player like Bernard and Richarlison as well.

“For a player to play as a striker he has to work more time there, but he’s working this week, I can tell you he works some moments as a striker.”

Bernard’s name also came up in relation to Yerry Mina, whose wait to make his Everton debut following last month’s switch from Barcelona continues.

Silva revealed the defender had been ruled out of Saturday’s match having on Wednesday suffered “a stamp on his foot in a moment with Bernard”.

Silva said it was “nothing serious” and the hope is that Mina, who has been recovering from an injury to his other foot, will be back in training next week.

Seamus Coleman (foot) and Andre Gomes (hamstring) also remain unavailable, but Phil Jagielka could make his return to action after a knee injury.

Jordan Pickford on Wednesday signed a new six-year contract with Everton, and Silva said of the England goalkeeper: “Of course it is important for us to keep our best players, and you are speaking about the number one of the national team.

“He could become a world star goalkeeper in the future. It is up to him to keep working like he works, with his ambition.”

When asked if he would have any interest in signing Arsenal’s Aaron Ramsey, Silva said: “It is something I don’t want to talk about. The market is closed and we are happy with our squad.”

Press Association Sport understands talks over a new deal for Ramsey have ended and that he is now likely to leave Arsenal when his current agreement expires at the end of the season.

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