Richarlison axed from Tottenham's Premier League squad as De Zerbi signals clean break

Tottenham Hotspur have effectively frozen out Richarlison by leaving the Brazilian striker out of their submitted 25-man Premier League squad, with head coach Roberto De Zerbi making clear the 29-year-old has no future at the club if he continues to push for an exit.

The decision follows a turbulent few weeks for Richarlison, who publicly revealed on Instagram that talks over a return to Everton had collapsed. “My intention was to go back to the place where I was very happy, yes,” he wrote, adding that “negotiations happened only in the way certain people wanted” — a pointed suggestion that the Toffees’ terms were unacceptable. He subsequently stated he would remain at Spurs’ disposal, but his omission from the squad list tells a different story.

De Zerbi had already signalled his position before the squad was submitted. Speaking ahead of Spurs’ 2-0 home defeat to Newcastle United, the Italian was unambiguous. “Richarlison has said too many times that he wants to leave,” he said. “I love these players, and these are great guys — but if they want to leave, they have to bring the economic solution to the club. Then they can go, and we’ll find other players to replace them.”

With Everton out of the picture, Turkish Super Lig side Trabzonspor have emerged as the most concrete destination, according to two Turkish transfer sources. The club is currently home to Mohamed Salah, adding a notable footnote to the speculation.

Richarlison’s exclusion is a striking fall from grace for a player who was one of Spurs’ most important figures last season. He contributed 11 goals and four assists in 32 Premier League appearances as the club fought to avoid relegation. This campaign, however, he has managed just 61 minutes of top-flight football — a start against Brentford in a 3-0 defeat — before his relationship with the club deteriorated beyond repair.

With the transfer window still open, a move to Trabzonspor appears the most likely resolution for all parties.