Roberto De Zerbi has given a blunt verdict on Richarlison, making clear the Brazilian is out of his plans entirely — even once he’s fit to play.
Richarlison finds himself frozen out after Tottenham couldn’t get him out the door during the summer window. Unable to reach terms with any of the interested clubs, he was left off the Premier League squad list and now faces months without competitive football.
Some had thought the Carabao Cup — exempt from the usual squad registration rules — might offer him a way back onto the pitch. De Zerbi has shut that down too, saying flatly: “Richarlison will NOT play even if he’s available. Not even in the Carabao Cup, no.”
It’s a heavy blow for a player who’d hoped to stay involved with the first team regardless of his murky long-term future at the club. A planned return to Everton fell through on deadline day when Spurs and the Toffees couldn’t strike a deal, and no other move came together either — leaving Richarlison’s situation at Tottenham more precarious than at any point before.
The stance also signals that De Zerbi has effectively moved on from him as he continues reworking the squad. Given Tottenham’s goal-scoring struggles so far this season, some fans may wonder why a forward with Richarlison’s experience isn’t at least an option off the bench — but the manager’s mind appears made up.
Barring a change of course behind the scenes, Richarlison now looks set to be sidelined until January before getting any real chance of playing for Spurs again — a steep comedown for a player once seen as a key part of the attack.
