Tottenham Hotspur manager Roberto De Zerbi has revealed a major transfer bombshell, confirming that three first-team players have asked to leave the club amid a dramatic period at the north London side.
Brazilian forward Richarlison is one of the players who has expressed his desire to depart, with Kevin Danso and Pape Matar Sarr also understood to have made their intentions clear.
The revelation came shortly after Tottenham suffered a disappointing 2-0 home defeat to Newcastle United, their second consecutive Premier League loss under De Zerbi. Anthony Elanga and Yoane Wissa scored in the second half as Spurs once again struggled to turn promising periods of possession into a positive result.
De Zerbi admitted after the game that all three players had asked to leave, but insisted that Tottenham would only sanction their departures if suitable financial offers were presented.
The Italian coach reportedly remains on good terms with the players despite their respective requests. However, he made it clear that any exit would have to make sense for the club, particularly because Tottenham would need enough time to find replacements.
Richarlison’s situation has attracted the most attention. The Brazilian was left out of the squad for the Newcastle defeat and has been strongly linked with a return to Everton, the club he left for Tottenham in 2022.
A proposed deal involving Richarlison and Everton had been discussed during the transfer window, but the situation became increasingly complicated before the deadline. Reports subsequently emerged that the striker had publicly responded to comments surrounding his future and called for respect.
Danso’s situation is also particularly interesting. The defender has fallen down Tottenham’s centre-back pecking order following the club’s extensive summer recruitment and has attracted interest from Sunderland.
Tottenham initially rejected a loan proposal for Danso, but discussions over a permanent transfer subsequently developed, with reports claiming the defender had agreed personal terms with Sunderland.
Sarr, meanwhile, has also been linked with several clubs. Juventus were among the sides interested in the midfielder, with Tottenham eventually allowing him to move to Turin on loan with a potential permanent transfer included in the agreement.
The developments highlight the scale of De Zerbi’s Tottenham rebuild. Spurs have already undergone a major squad overhaul during the summer, spending heavily on new players while attempting to reshape the team around the Italian manager’s footballing philosophy.
Tottenham’s transfer activity has included the club-record signing of Sandro Tonali, while late business also saw Mykhailo Mudryk arrive from Chelsea on loan. De Zerbi knows Mudryk well from their time together at Shakhtar Donetsk and is hoping to revive the winger’s career in north London.
Despite the heavy investment, Tottenham’s start to the new Premier League campaign has been far from convincing. The defeats to Brentford and Newcastle have raised questions about how quickly De Zerbi can transform the side, with the manager acknowledging that mentality and cohesion cannot simply be purchased in the transfer market.
The immediate priority will therefore be to stabilise the squad while deciding which of the three players can be allowed to leave.
With the transfer window now closed in England, Tottenham’s options have become more complicated. However, some European markets remain open, meaning the futures of Richarlison and the other players could still develop depending on offers received by the club.
For De Zerbi, the situation represents another major challenge as he attempts to build a Tottenham side capable of competing at the highest level while simultaneously managing a squad undergoing significant change.