Richarlison warns Spurs 'never again will anyone decide my future' in defiant transfer statement

Richarlison has issued a pointed public statement warning Tottenham that he will no longer allow others to dictate his future, after being left out of the squad for the 2-0 home defeat to Newcastle and amid ongoing transfer discussions with Everton.

The Brazil forward posted the message on his Instagram story after Spurs head coach Roberto De Zerbi said on Saturday night that Richarlison had been omitted because “too many times he asked to leave.” The statement reads as a direct rebuttal to that characterisation.

“After everything I’ve been through in the last few years, I’ve decided that never again will anyone decide my future for me,” Richarlison wrote. “I went through a lot of bad things, and almost all of them happened because decisions were made by other people. Pressure, threats, retaliation — none of that scares me. I’ve been through far worse, believe me.”

The 28-year-old also pushed back on the suggestion that he had been pushing for an exit on any terms, insisting he had always maintained that a departure would only happen if it suited the club as well as himself. “I’ve always made it clear, every time I had the chance, that leaving for another club would only happen if it was also good for the club,” he said. “If it wasn’t, I would never accept it. Just like I didn’t accept it when everything was going badly and they needed me.”

Richarlison confirmed he is open to rejoining Everton — the club he left for Spurs in a £60m deal in 2022 — but made clear the terms of any deal must meet his own approval. “If they reach an agreement between Spurs and Everton, I will return to my beloved club,” he wrote. “My intention was to go back to the place where I was very happy, yes, but the negotiations happened only in the way certain people wanted, and it will no longer be like that.”

Tottenham had entered talks with Everton on Sunday night over the proposed signing of attacker Iliman Ndiaye, with separate discussions running in parallel over Richarlison’s potential return to Goodison Park. Those talks were complicated after Manchester City agreed a deal to sign Ndiaye.

Despite the public tension, Richarlison stopped short of forcing a confrontation, closing his statement by confirming he remains committed to his contract. “Despite all this turmoil, I am under contract at Spurs and will remain at the club’s disposal,” he added.

Richarlison, who has spoken openly in the past about his mental health struggles, scored 12 goals during the 2025-26 season as Tottenham secured their Premier League status.