adminTottenham Hotspur manager Roberto De Zerbi has shed more light on Richarlison’s omission from the club’s registered 25-man Premier League squad, revealing that the decision was linked to the Brazilian forward’s actions and decisions over the past six weeks.
Speaking ahead of Tottenham’s Premier League meeting with Everton on Saturday, De Zerbi insisted that Richarlison was not simply dropped from the squad by the coaching staff. Instead, the Italian explained that the situation was largely the result of decisions made by the player himself during a crucial period of the transfer window.
The comments came after Richarlison’s proposed deadline-day move to Vasco da Gama collapsed. Although Tottenham and the Brazilian club reportedly reached an agreement over a transfer fee, the deal eventually fell through after the two sides failed to resolve the player’s personal terms.
De Zerbi admitted that he would have been disappointed with himself if he had personally decided to exclude Richarlison without considering the circumstances surrounding the situation.
“If I had decided myself to leave him outside of the squad, I would have regrets. But the decision has not even been taken by the club. It has been a consequence of what I told you already, that he has decided by his own,” De Zerbi explained, according to The Spurs Watch on X.
The Tottenham boss also made it clear that he has a good relationship with Richarlison and had several conversations with the striker in an attempt to persuade him to remain part of the club’s plans.
However, De Zerbi suggested that events during the previous 45 days had played a major role in determining the striker’s current situation.
“I’m sorry because I have one player less on the list. Richarlison is a good guy, a very good guy. I spoke with him a lot of times and I spent time to convince him to stay,” the manager said.
“But if you ask me, I know the truth. I know what happened in the last month, the last 45 days. And it’s clear, but I’m not frustrated.”
De Zerbi stopped short of revealing the full details of what happened between Richarlison and the club, insisting that it would not be appropriate for him to disclose everything publicly.
“I know what the club has done in the last 45 days with him and what was the behaviour of Richarlison. I can’t explain because it’s not right, but I’m sorry because it could be different.”
The manager also acknowledged that the situation could have ended in a completely different manner, suggesting that Richarlison could have remained in the squad and potentially continued his career in North London.
“It could have been much better for Richarlison to be on the list, Richarlison happy to stay, maybe to extend his contract, because he is still an important player,” De Zerbi added.
“He was important last season, we can’t forget. But we can’t forget also the last 45 days.”
Tottenham Face Attacking Problems
Richarlison’s absence creates another selection headache for De Zerbi as Tottenham attempt to improve their attacking output.
Spurs are currently enduring a 270-minute Premier League goal drought, while fitness concerns surrounding players such as Mykhailo Mudryk and Dejan Kulusevski have further complicated the manager’s options.
With Richarlison unavailable for Premier League selection until January, De Zerbi will have to work with the attacking options available to him, including Dominic Solanke, Omar Marmoush, Sávio and Mathys Tel.
The situation means Tottenham head into the Everton clash with added pressure to find a solution in front of goal, while Richarlison will have to wait for another opportunity to return to domestic action.
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