Richarlison's time at Tottenham Hotspur could be coming to an abrupt end, with Turkish side Trabzonspor showing strong interest in signing the Brazilian forward before their domestic transfer window shuts on Friday night.
According to Spurs boss Roberto De Zerbi, the 29-year-old has made his desire to leave the club abundantly clear, repeating the request on multiple occasions throughout the summer. Speaking after Tottenham's home defeat to Newcastle at the weekend, De Zerbi confirmed that Richarlison had pushed for an exit "too many times" in recent months, suggesting the club's resistance to letting him go may finally be softening.
The situation has echoes of two other departures Spurs sanctioned just before England's transfer deadline passed on Tuesday. Both Kevin Danso and Pape Sarr were permitted to leave on loan deals containing purchase options, joining Sunderland and Juventus respectively. De Zerbi's willingness to let those two go suggests the door may now be open for Richarlison to follow suit, provided a deal with Trabzonspor can be finalized before Turkey's window closes.
There had been earlier speculation that Richarlison might engineer a return to Everton, the club where he made his name in the Premier League before joining Spurs. Those talks were reportedly linked to Tottenham's separate pursuit of Iliman Ndiaye, but that scenario never materialized. Ndiaye instead completed a switch to Manchester City in a deal worth £60m with a further £5m in potential add-ons, effectively closing off that avenue for Richarlison.
The forward's frustration boiled over publicly on Monday evening when he took to social media to address speculation surrounding his future. In his message, Richarlison made clear he would not accept being pushed into a transfer he did not want, signaling that any move must be on his own terms. All indications now point towards Trabzonspor as his preferred destination, with reports suggesting personal terms between player and club have already been agreed.
Richarlison was Tottenham's leading scorer in the Premier League last season, netting 11 goals despite the team's struggles. He still has one year remaining on his current contract, with the club holding the option to extend for an additional season—a factor that could complicate negotiations over any permanent transfer fee.
For Trabzonspor, landing Richarlison would represent another high-profile addition following their free transfer capture of Mohamed Salah from Liverpool earlier in the summer. However, the Turkish club's season has started poorly. They have collected just four points from their opening three league fixtures and were eliminated from European competition after a heavy 5-0 aggregate defeat to Ferencvaros in the Europa League playoff round.
Tottenham's squad management is also a factor in the background of this saga. The club currently has 18 senior non-homegrown players registered, one more than the Premier League's permitted limit within a matchday squad. Adding to their selection concerns, midfielder Xavi Simons is expected to be sidelined until March or April after suffering an anterior cruciate ligament injury, De Zerbi revealed. Premier League regulations do allow clubs to adjust their squad registrations once the mid-season transfer window opens, offering Spurs some flexibility going forward.
With the Turkish deadline fast approaching, all eyes will be on whether Richarlison secures the move he has been pushing for.
Based on reporting from The Guardian.