Richarlison Standoff Leaves Tottenham With One Remaining Exit

LONDON — Richarlison began his professional career at América Mineiro and moved to Fluminense in 2016. Watford signed him for £11.5 million in August 2017, before he reunited with manager Marco Silva at Everton in July 2018 in a deal that could rise to £50 million. Over four seasons with the Merseyside club, he scored 53 goals in 152 appearances.

His Tottenham career began in July 2022, when he joined from Everton in a transaction valued at £50 million ($66 million) plus £10 million in conditional add-ons. He signed a five-year contract, and Tottenham holds an option clause that could extend his binding commitment to the club through 2028.

Since that transfer, Richarlison has made 66 appearances across all competitions and scored 15 goals while dealing with positional adjustments and physical injuries. His international record includes 48 caps for Brazil’s senior national team and 20 goals, among them three at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

The forward’s current dispute with Tottenham has reached a complete impasse. Head coach Roberto De Zerbi publicly confirmed that Richarlison does not want to stay, while the club continues to exclude him from its registered Premier League and cup squads. De Zerbi addressed the situation at a news conference before Tottenham’s Carabao Cup fixture against Liverpool.

“Richarlison, you already know everything; nothing has changed for the Carabao Cup or Premier League. The situation is the same,” De Zerbi said. “I said in the last press conference, I know what happened in the last 45 days. It’s not right if I explain. It’s not my behavior. It is the relationship, and the problem is with the player and the club. I spoke with him many times to convince him to stay, and he didn’t want to. I can’t go every day to pray for him to stay.”

Richarlison responded to the manager’s statements by posting a single crying emoji on social media. The dispute has also moved toward possible legal action, with the player’s representatives examining whether his exclusion from Tottenham’s official competition squad lists could support a contract cancellation or financial redress.

Richarlison’s camp has considered the recent contractual termination of defender Renan Lodi from Saudi Pro League club Al-Hilal as a legal benchmark. Tottenham administrators have rejected that interpretation, maintaining that squad selection falls within management prerogatives and that the club retains contractual control over the Brazilian.

Several transfer routes failed during the summer. Richarlison declined an early-window opportunity to return to Everton, while negotiations with Turkish Süper Lig club Trabzonspor ended before terms could be agreed. Brazilian club Vasco da Gama also pursued him and was willing to structure a package worth approximately £15 million ($19.8 million), but those talks broke down after Vasco sought a long-term commitment and Richarlison wanted a short-term arrangement that would preserve future transfer flexibility.

European and Brazilian registration windows have now closed, leaving Dubai-based Shabab Al-Ahli as the remaining club actively pursuing the forward. Intermediaries representing Tottenham and Richarlison are negotiating a deal before the UAE transfer window closes on Sept. 28. The proposals include a short-term contract or a loan-style arrangement with a January release clause, giving Richarlison the opportunity to play competitive matches immediately while retaining an option to return to European football during the winter transfer window.

Shabab Al-Ahli manager André Jardine is a central factor in those discussions. Richarlison previously played under Jardine for Brazil Under-23 at the Tokyo Olympic Games in 2021, where he won the Golden Boot with five goals, including a hat-trick against Germany. Brazil then defeated Spain 2-1 in the gold medal match in Yokohama.