Richarlison’s Tottenham Future: Romano Expects January Departure

Richarlison's future at Tottenham is once again back in the headlines after Fabrizio Romano said he expects the Brazilian forward to leave the club in January.

The transfer reporter described a breakdown in the relationship between Richarlison and Tottenham after several failed efforts to sell the Brazilian this summer. Although he thinks that Richarlison will leave, no deal has been announced for January.

According to Romano's Here We Go podcast, Roberto De Zerbi originally intended to discuss a new contract with Richarlison, but the player requested to leave North London several times.

Richarlison had the opportunity to go back to Everton as part of the link with Tottenham's interest in Iliman Ndiaye, but Richarlison believed that wasn't the correct step. Although the offer from Trabzonspor was acceptable to Richarlison, Spurs rejected it, and likewise the interest from Vasco da Gama didn't result in an agreement, either.

Richarlison joined Tottenham from Everton in July 2022 on a deal worth up to £60 million. He scored twice against Marseille on his Champions League debut but managed only one league goal that season.

His scoring improved to 11 Premier League goals in 2023/24, before injuries disrupted the following campaign. He helped Spurs win the 2025 Europa League and contributed during their subsequent relegation battle. By autumn 2026, his exclusion from the league squad had intensified uncertainty over his future.

Roberto De Zerbi had previously said Richarlison repeatedly expressed his desire to leave Tottenham, despite the manager’s attempts to persuade him to stay and discuss a contract extension.

The Italian said he wanted players committed to the club and would not keep pleading with the Brazilian to stay. De Zerbi linked Richarlison’s exclusion to the forward’s stated intentions, maintaining that his position had not changed.

Richarlison’s proposed return to Everton collapsed during the summer window. According to Fabrizio Romano, Tottenham linked his departure to a move for Iliman Ndiaye, but the Brazilian did not consider Everton the right option then. Without his agreement, neither side moved forward with the proposed arrangement, though other transfer experts said that both deals were not linked and Ndiaye himself said, that once Man City was interested, he wanted to move there due in part to the potiential to play European football this season.

Richarlison has been left out of the Tottenham squad this season, and while the team continues to struggle to score, questions will still be raised as to why this has gotten to where it is; the one thing that is almost certain is that the Brazilian has played his final game for Tottenham Hotspur.