De Zerbi on Richarlison: 'If you don't want to stay, why we have to keep you on the list?'
VAVEL.com · Emmanuel Adeyemi-Abere; VAVEL com · 2026-09-05T01:30:17+00:00 · nguồn gốc
Roberto de Zerbi spoke about the exclusion of Richarlison from the Tottenham squad.
The Brazilian bided his time over the summer, with one year to go on his contract, as he wished to leave London. A deal seemed to offer a solution for Spurs involving Iliman Ndiaye coming to the club and Richarlison returning to Everton. However, plans fell through, and the 29-year-old is stuck.
·'I don't know if there is an offer from Turkey'
Richarlison started as the striker in the 3-0 defeat to Brentford on the opening matchday, then he was absent from the team in the 2-0 loss to Newcastle United.
His omission has continued from the camp, and if he cannot engineer an exit, the player will remain ineligible for Premier League football.
"[Richarlison] spoke with me at the beginning of the pre-season and told me his idea and desire was to leave. At the end, we go to bring another striker and like I said at the beginning of the pre-season, I want to keep the players, just the players that want to stay and be proud and with the right passion to stay here. Then, for everything and other problems, it is not my business, it's not my job.
·'It is the responsibility of the club'
"It is the responsibility of the club. I can't say nothing because I didn't decide anything. The message of Richarlison from the beginning of the season has been clear. I accepted that and for me, nothing...
"It is the normal decision [to have left Richarlison out of the Premier League squad]. If you don't want to stay here, I don't want to keep in the press conference. Go, you have the freedom to go out.
"If you don't want to stay, why we have to keep you on the list? Why you have to stay? I'm not Vinai, I'm not the sporting director, I am the coach and I would like to work with the people angry if they don't play, but happy to stay in this club. I am just working for my club. The players, if they don't want to stay, it is not my problem. The price in the transfer market is not my problem. You have to speak with the club, but it is not right when the player wants to leave and the club don't want to sell.
"I don't know if there is an offer from Turkey. I don't know if the club accept this offer. I know there was an offer before the end of the (English) transfer window close, but he didn't accept."