Richarlison’s future at Tottenham Hotspur is uncertain after the Brazil international was omitted from the club’s 25-man Premier League squad for the first half of the 2026–27 season. The decision means the 29-year-old cannot play in the Premier League for Tottenham until at least January unless he completes a move before another transfer window closes.
The omission follows a difficult week for the forward. Richarlison started Tottenham’s opening league match against Brentford but was left out of the squad for the 2–0 defeat by Newcastle United. Manager Roberto De Zerbi said Richarlison had repeatedly expressed his desire to leave the club, while the player later criticised the way his transfer situation had been handled.
Richarlison had been close to returning to Everton before that move collapsed on deadline day. Tottenham had given him permission to speak with his former club, but the negotiations did not produce an agreement before the Premier League window closed. That left Spurs with a player who no longer features in De Zerbi’s domestic plans and Everton without the forward they had hoped to sign.
De Zerbi has defended Tottenham’s decision to exclude Richarlison, saying the player had made his position clear during pre-season. The manager has also emphasised that he wants to work with players who are committed to remaining at the club. Richarlison is still under contract, but he is not training with De Zerbi’s main first-team group, although he continues to work at the training ground.
The forward could still leave Tottenham before the end of the wider international transfer cycle. The transfer windows in Turkey and Saudi Arabia remain open, creating possible routes away from north London. Trabzonspor have been linked with a move for Richarlison and are reportedly considering an improved proposal after Tottenham rejected two earlier bids.
A move to Turkey would give Richarlison the opportunity to play regularly and compete in a league that remains open for additional registrations until Friday. Saudi Arabian clubs have longer to complete business, with their window scheduled to remain open until Sunday.
Tottenham’s decision also reflects the club’s summer recruitment. Spurs spent heavily to reshape their squad under De Zerbi and have added attacking options, including Mykhailo Mudryk. With Dominic Solanke and other forwards available, the club have chosen to prioritise players who are fully committed to the manager’s project.
Richarlison’s exclusion is therefore both a sporting and contractual issue. Tottenham must decide whether to keep an unsettled player until January or accept a late offer from a club in Turkey or Saudi Arabia. The striker, meanwhile, must choose between remaining in London without Premier League football or securing a move that restores his regular involvement.
The proposed Everton return has ended, but Richarlison’s departure from Tottenham remains possible. Unless he leaves before the remaining international deadlines, he faces several months outside the club’s Premier League squad while both sides wait for a longer-term solution.
