Tottenham forward Richarlison has been omitted from the club's squad to face Liverpool, with the Brazilian reacting to the decision by posting a crying emoji on social media. His absence comes as tensions between the player and Spurs over his contract situation continue to escalate.
The 27-year-old was left out of the Premier League matchday squad amid an ongoing dispute regarding the final nine months of his current deal, which is set to expire next summer. According to sources close to the situation, Richarlison is hoping to be released from his contract rather than see out its remaining duration. Tottenham, however, retain the option to trigger a 12-month extension on his current terms, complicating any potential swift exit.
The rift follows the collapse of a proposed £35m deadline-day move to Everton, the club where Richarlison spent time before joining Spurs in 2022. That transfer fell through after the striker and Everton were unable to agree on personal terms, leaving him in an awkward limbo at Tottenham just as the new Premier League season under manager Roberto De Zerbi gets underway.
Richarlison's exclusion arrives at a particularly testing moment for Tottenham, who remain winless through their opening four league matches of the campaign. More strikingly, Spurs have failed to score in any of those four games - an unprecedented occurrence in the club's history. The struggles have raised eyebrows given the significant financial commitment made by the club over the summer, with more than £300m spent to bolster De Zerbi's squad following consecutive 17th-place finishes in the Premier League.
The forward's importance to Tottenham's attack last season cannot be understated. Richarlison finished as the club's top scorer across all competitions with 12 goals, outpacing both centre-back Micky van de Ven and defensive midfielder Joao Palhinha, who trailed by five goals apiece. His goal-scoring record against Liverpool specifically has also been notable, with four goals in seven appearances against Tuesday's opponents during his Tottenham tenure.
Richarlison arrived at Tottenham from Everton in 2022, having previously come through spells at Watford before establishing himself in the Premier League. Internationally, he has represented Brazil on 54 occasions, cementing his status as one of the country's most recognizable attacking talents.
With the transfer window now closed and no resolution to his contract dispute in sight, Richarlison's immediate future at Tottenham remains uncertain. The club faces a delicate balancing act: managing a valuable attacking asset who wants out, while simultaneously trying to turn around a winless and scoreless start to the season that has left supporters anxious.
De Zerbi's side will need to find attacking solutions quickly, particularly with their leading scorer from last season now on the outside looking in. Whether Richarlison's absence against Liverpool is a one-off disciplinary or tactical decision, or the beginning of a longer estrangement, remains to be seen. What is clear is that the situation adds another layer of complexity to a Tottenham campaign that has, so far, failed to deliver the results many expected following such heavy summer investment.
Based on reporting from BBC Sport Football.