Richarlison is said to have asked FIFA to step in on his behalf after being omitted from Tottenham’s Premier League squad for the 2026/27 campaign.
The Brazilian striker had been strongly tipped to leave Spurs over the summer, with a sentimental return to Everton looking close at one stage. The plan reportedly involved Richarlison heading back to Goodison Park as part of a swap deal that would have sent Iliman Ndiaye the other way.
That deal fell apart once Ndiaye instead signed for Manchester City, and talks between Richarlison and Everton couldn’t be finalized. A separate approach from Trabzonspor in Turkey also failed to produce a move.
Things escalated when Tottenham boss Roberto De Zerbi confirmed Richarlison had been excluded from the 25-man Premier League squad and was instead training alongside the club’s Under-21 side. De Zerbi was clear that the call wasn’t his to make, pointing out that the forward had signaled his wish to leave right from the start of pre-season. He explained that Richarlison made the decision on his own, having told the manager early on that he wanted out, and noted that Spurs subsequently brought in a replacement forward. De Zerbi added that his policy was to only keep players who genuinely wanted to stay and give their all for the club, and said any further issues around Richarlison’s situation were matters for the club to handle, not him.
FIFA route now in play
With his position at Tottenham increasingly untenable, Richarlison is understood to have struck an agreement with Vasco da Gama back in Brazil. The club reportedly made the 29-year-old their top target once his exit from De Zerbi’s squad became apparent, but Vasco don’t have the funds for an outright purchase, and a loan arrangement has proven equally tricky.
That’s because Tottenham have already used up their allowance of international loan spots under FIFA rules, with players such as Pape Matar Sarr and Guglielmo Vicario (Juventus), Radu Dragusin (Fiorentina), Souza (Porto), Kota Takai (Sint-Truiden) and Min-hyeok Yang (Westerlo) currently filling those slots.
Even if Vasco somehow found the money for a permanent deal, time is running out, with Brazil’s transfer window reportedly closing on Friday.
Faced with these obstacles, Richarlison is said to be taking matters into his own hands. According to Brazilian journalist Raisa Simplicio, the striker has told Tottenham he intends to petition FIFA for permission to terminate his contract unilaterally. Simplicio said a source close to Richarlison confirmed the club had been made aware of the request, and referenced the precedent of Renan Lodi, who reportedly used a similar route to exit Al Hilal before signing with Atletico-MG.
The move could open a dramatic new phase in Richarlison’s saga at Tottenham, with the forward apparently determined to force his way out of the club despite the transfer-window hurdles standing in his way.
