De Zerbi confirms Richarlison will miss Carabao Cup trip to Liverpool as contract saga drags on

Roberto De Zerbi has confirmed Richarlison will play no part in Tottenham’s Carabao Cup tie at Liverpool, with the Brazilian forward remaining in limbo after rejecting a contract extension and declining a move to boyhood club Vasco da Gama on Friday.

Richarlison was omitted from Spurs’ 25-man Premier League squad earlier this month after being told he is surplus to requirements. While that exclusion leaves him eligible for domestic cup competitions, De Zerbi made clear the situation has not changed.

“Richarlison, you already know everything and nothing change for Carabao Cup or Premier League. The situation is the same,” the Spurs head coach said. “The relationship, the problem is between the player and the club. I stay within the club.”

De Zerbi revealed he had made efforts to keep the forward at the start of the season, but said those conversations had run their course. “What I have done at the beginning of this season has been to speak with him and to propose an extension of the contract. If he said, ‘no thank you,’ I finished my job,” he said. “I can’t go every day to pray for him to stay.”

The saga took a fresh turn on social media after transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano confirmed De Zerbi’s decision to leave Richarlison out of the cup squad. The forward responded to the post with a single word — “Why?” — accompanied by a crying-face emoji.

Richarlison started Spurs’ league opener at Brentford but has been sidelined since being told he could leave. A proposed return to Everton collapsed, links to Trabzonspor came to nothing, and he ultimately rejected personal terms with Vasco da Gama. He was present as a spectator for Spurs’ goalless draw with Everton at the weekend.

The timing is particularly notable given Richarlison’s record of four goals in seven appearances against Liverpool for Spurs — a stat that carries extra weight with Tottenham yet to score in the Premier League this season.

De Zerbi will also be without Pedro Porro and Sandro Tonali for the trip to Anfield. Asked whether he would rotate his squad significantly, the Italian hinted at selective changes rather than wholesale ones, pointing to the depth available at centre-back with JP van Hecke, Micky van de Ven, Marcos Senesi, Ben Davies, and Tosin Adarabioyo all available.