Richarlison is reportedly nearing a return to Everton from Tottenham Hotspur, a move that comes as the Brazilian forward posted a cryptic message on social media. The striker was notably absent from Tottenham's squad for their recent 2-0 home defeat against Newcastle.
The forward is understood to be in line for a £35 million transfer back to Everton, the club he represented from 2018 to 2022 before his £60 million move to Tottenham. In a deal that would see Iliman Ndiaye move to Tottenham for £60 million, Richarlison's potential departure from Spurs appears to be unfolding under ambiguous circumstances.
Ahead of the reported transfer, Richarlison shared an image on Instagram featuring text that, in translation, read: "I am the villain of many poorly told stories." He added a thinking face emoji to the post, further fueling speculation. The post received a like from Spurs teammate Xavi Simons.
Tottenham manager Roberto De Zerbi confirmed after the loss to Newcastle that Richarlison was among three players who had expressed a desire to leave the club. "Richarlison he said too many times that he wanted to leave," De Zerbi stated. He also mentioned that Kevin Danso and Pape Matar Sarr had communicated similar intentions to depart.
Richarlison has scored 32 goals in 134 appearances for Tottenham since joining from Everton. He was part of the squad that won the Europa League final against Manchester United in 2025. During his four seasons with Everton, he netted 53 goals in 152 games.