Squad Omission Leaves Richarlison’s Tottenham Future Unclear
Richarlison is considering legal action against Tottenham Hotspur in an attempt to force the club to nullify his contract, according to The Athletic, after Roberto De Zerbi left the forward off Tottenham’s Premier League registration list. Nothing here confirms a lawsuit has actually been filed. It’s a threat being weighed, not a done deal, which given how these situations tend to drag on at Spurs, is probably the only honest way to describe it. There’s more on the squad omission and what it means for his Tottenham future if you need the fuller picture.
The report comes via The Athletic, and the background is grim reading for anyone who followed the summer. Richarlison failed to secure a move before the Premier League window shut, and a proposed switch to Trabzonspor collapsed after Spurs rejected two separate bids from the Turkish side. He joined Tottenham from Everton back in 2022 for £50m, a fee that already looks dated given how far transfer spending has moved on since. He’s in the final year of that deal, and while Spurs hold a one-year extension option, there’s no indication they intend to use it – you can read more on the breakdown in transfer talks and Tottenham’s stance throughout the window.
Vasco Interest, £20m Asking Price
Brazilian outlet O Globo reports that Vasco da Gama, Richarlison’s childhood club, want him – but Tottenham are said to be asking £20m to sanction any deal, a figure Vasco won’t pay. The Brazilian window shuts imminently, meaning a negotiated exit is the only realistic route unless Richarlison can force through a contract termination first.
The Premier League’s ‘Just Cause’ provision covers circumstances where a party can no longer reasonably be expected to continue a contractual relationship, but whether it applies here is untested and genuinely unclear. Accounts of who’s to blame for the breakdown vary depending on who you ask, and the full picture may never surface – this sits within the club’s wider approach to player exits this summer.
What Happens Next
If Richarlison succeeds, he could sign a short-term deal with Vasco until January before sorting a longer-term future. If he stays, he’s eligible for Under-21 and cup football, though De Zerbi selecting him domestically looks unlikely for now.
