Richarlison’s Everton U-turn: Why Tottenham twist could revive Goodison return
Richarlison’s proposed move back to Everton may have fallen through, but the saga is far from finished.
The reunion between the Brazilian and his old club broke down in the closing days of the transfer window, leaving him in an awkward spot at Tottenham. Following the latest development in north London, though, talk of an eventual Everton return hasn’t gone away.
Richarlison’s situation at Spurs has become one of the club’s biggest storylines. He’d reportedly been given the green light to talk to Everton over a deal worth around £35m, a prospect that thrilled Toffees fans hoping to see their former favourite back on Merseyside. But the two clubs couldn’t strike an agreement before the deadline.
At first it seemed he’d simply stay and fight for a place under Roberto De Zerbi. Instead, things have taken a sharper turn — Tottenham have left him out of their 25-man Premier League squad for the season’s first half, meaning he can’t feature again domestically until the list reopens in January, barring an exemption.
That’s a striking call given Richarlison topped Tottenham’s scoring charts last season with 12 goals. De Zerbi has also revealed the club offered him a new deal months ago, which he turned down, having already made clear he wanted out.
So this isn’t a player simply battling for minutes — he seems set on a fresh start elsewhere, which is why Everton’s interest matters. The Toffees were seriously exploring a move just days ago, and now the backdrop has shifted: Richarlison wants away, Tottenham have shut the Premier League door on him, and Everton have already shown willingness to deal. Nothing points to an imminent move with the window shut, and Everton have their own issues to sort after the collapsed Folarin Balogun deal, but circumstances in football can shift fast.
There’s also been talk that Tottenham could look at terminating his contract altogether if no permanent solution emerges — only speculation for now, but telling of how tangled things have got. A high-profile player frozen out of Premier League action is a problem for the club, and months on the sidelines would test Richarlison’s patience too. For Everton, where he remains a fan favourite, it could eventually open a door.
The January window could end up being pivotal. Whether Everton actually come back to the table is unclear, but with Richarlison keen on a new chapter and Tottenham’s position growing trickier, it’s not a scenario to rule out. For now he stays a Spurs player — but if things don’t settle, he could easily be back at the centre of transfer talk before long.
