Tottenham manager Roberto De Zerbi has stated that forward Richarlison's current exile from the squad is a consequence of his own decisions, including rejecting contract extension talks at the beginning of the summer. Richarlison, who was Tottenham's top scorer last season with 11 Premier League goals, has been omitted from De Zerbi's official 25-man Premier League squad for the current season.
Richarlison has been training separately from the first team as he awaits a potential move to Turkish club Trabzonspor before their transfer deadline on Friday, or another opportunity in a market still open for business. De Zerbi indicated that he spoke with Richarlison at the start of pre-season about extending his contract, but the player was not interested.
"So, Richarlison is a good player, yes. He was important last season, yes very important. He's a good guy, yes. But in the end, I have to stop myself putting pressure on the players if the players show me they want to leave," De Zerbi said ahead of Tottenham's match against Nottingham Forest. "So, I'm sorry for him but we have to go to another page and work with Dominic Solanke and Omar Marmoush."
Richarlison, who joined Tottenham from Everton in 2022 for a reported £60 million, has one year remaining on his contract, with an option for an additional year. De Zerbi confirmed that an offer, understood to be worth £35 million from Everton, was accepted by Tottenham. However, Richarlison reportedly did not accept the terms.
"We did receive an offer and he didn't accept it," the manager stated. "Richarlison decided everything. Not me, not the club. I didn't decide and I was not responsible to this situation. If one player says, 'I want to leave, I want to leave, I want to leave' you have to have an offer behind you otherwise what are you doing? The right offer for him I think arrived after the transfer market closed. I don't decide the negotiation or if one player has to leave or to stay. And I am sorry for him because he's a good guy and it's not right if one player doesn't play or can't play."
Trabzonspor's interest emerged recently, but they had not met Tottenham's asking price for the Brazilian. Tottenham had previously pursued other targets, including Cody Gakpo, who remained at Liverpool, and Iliman Ndiaye, who joined Manchester City. The club ultimately signed Mykhailo Mudryk on loan from Chelsea.
De Zerbi noted that the move for Mudryk, who previously played under him at Shakhtar Donetsk, occurred in the final days before the transfer window closed. "In that moment, we needed one player on the left wing. We have just Mathys Tel and Mudryk. He wanted to come, he accepted because he has another couple of offers and it is a good solution," De Zerbi said.
Mudryk is not yet match-fit to start but is available from the bench. De Zerbi, who gave Mudryk his senior debut at Shakhtar, expressed hope that the winger can rediscover his form after a two-year doping ban. "I brought him from the Under 21s and put him in the first team," De Zerbi recalled. "I gave him the chance to play in the first XI against Real Madrid in the Bernabeu when he was 20 years old."
De Zerbi reflected on Mudryk's transition to Chelsea, noting the significant price tag and pressure. "Then from Shakhtar to Chelsea he paid a big price because different leagues, different countries, a different level of the club with a big, big responsibility because he knew the price Chelsea paid. But it's a normal process for a potential top player. Now I think he's 25, he's in the right moment of his career in a top club. It's the right moment for him to show what he can do."