Richarlison is seeking to terminate his contract with Tottenham Hotspur to facilitate a move back to Brazil with Vasco da Gama, according to reports from Brazilian outlet Globo. The 29-year-old forward, who was Tottenham's top scorer last season with 11 goals, has been omitted from the club's official 25-man Premier League squad by manager Roberto De Zerbi and is currently training alone.
His desire for a contract termination stems from his exclusion from the Premier League squad. Richarlison's lawyers are reportedly preparing to file a request in court to end his contract, which is set to expire at the end of the current season. This situation draws parallels to that of fellow Brazilian Renan Lodi, who successfully secured a unilateral contract termination to join Atletico Mineiro after being left out of his previous club's squad.
Richarlison had been involved in transfer discussions, including a potential deadline-day swap deal with Everton involving Iliman Ndiaye. However, this move did not materialize, with Ndiaye ultimately joining Manchester City. Now, Richarlison reportedly wishes to play for Vasco da Gama until December 2026 before reassessing his future.
Manager Roberto De Zerbi has indicated that Richarlison's current situation is a consequence of his own decisions, stating that the player rejected contract extension talks at the beginning of the summer. De Zerbi confirmed his intent to move forward with new signings Dominic Solanke and Omar Marmoush in the attacking ranks.
"At the beginning of pre-season I spoke to Richarlison and asked him if he wanted to extend his contract because I was happy to keep him with us, and he didn't want to," De Zerbi said prior to Tottenham's recent match. "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."
Tottenham has since strengthened their attacking options by signing Manchester City duo Omar Marmoush and Savinho during the summer transfer window, as the club aims to improve on their narrow avoidance of relegation last campaign.