'Why?' - Richarlison reacts on social media after Roberto De Zerbi confirms his Tottenham exile

De Zerbi confirms Carabao Cup exile

Richarlison is completely frozen out at Tottenham, and the reality of his situation was laid bare when De Zerbi confirmed he will not play against Liverpool on Tuesday night.

Despite being excluded from the 25-man Premier League squad, Richarlison remains eligible for the Carabao Cup. However, the manager emphatically shut down any chance of a return. De Zerbi stated: "Richarlison will NOT play even if he’s available. Not even in the Carabao Cup, no."

An emotional social media response

Following the manager's press conference on Monday, journalist Fabrizio Romano shared the quotes on X, prompting a direct and public reaction from Richarlison. Replying to the post, the Brazilian simply wrote "Why?" accompanied by a tearful emoji.

This interaction underlines the fractured dynamic between the player and the club's hierarchy. De Zerbi further explained the standoff: "It’s not my behaviour, it is the relationship and the problem is with [between] the player and the club. And I stay inside of the club. It’s coach and club together."

Failed transfer saga explained

Tottenham have endured a complicated period with Richarlison, who actively pushed to leave during the summer window. A proposed return to Everton collapsed on transfer deadline day, while negotiations with Vasco da Gama also broke down because personal terms could not be agreed.

De Zerbi revealed he had tried to retain the striker, saying: "At the start of this season, I spoke with him many times to convince him to stay and he didn’t want to. I can't go every day to pray for him to stay."

What next for Richarlison?

Richarlison and his representatives are currently attempting to negotiate an amicable contract termination with Tottenham. The player's camp maintains the threat of taking the dispute to FIFA. If successful, he would become a free agent and could join a new team before the January window opens.