Thomas Frank and Tottenham Hotspur must cash in on Richarlison this summer to continue the squad rebuild
Tottenham Hotspur boss Thomas Frank has started rebuilding the squad that he inherited from Ange Postecoglou earlier this summer.
New faces have come in to the club in the form of Kota Takai, Mohammed Kudus and Joao Palhinha. On the outgoings front, Son Heung-min has been the biggest name to leave the club. The South Korean, who played his final game in a Spurs shirt in a 1-1 friendly draw with Newcastle United in his hometown Seoul on Sunday, has agreed to join MLS club Los Angeles FC.
However, Thomas Frank and Daniel Levy are not done yet, with Richarlison’s future at the club up in the air for some time now. The forward joined Tottenham in a £60 million deal from Everton in the summer of 2022, and he was viewed as a great option for Antonio Conte at the time. The Brazil international has scored a few memorable goals for Spurs over the years, but it has to be said that he has failed to live up to his hefty price tag at White Hart Lane.
Persistent injury problems and inconsistency have limited his progress on the pitch. Last season, he only managed five goals and two assists in 24 appearances. Yet, the 28-year-old has had no shortage of suitors from different sections of Europe.
Brazilian club Palmeiras have been working on a blockbuster move to sign Richarlison since last month, while there has been interest from Turkish Super Lig too. He has been given the greenlight from the Hotspur Way chiefs to search for a new club, as Frank reshapes the squad.
Tottenham’s last chance to offload Richarlison
it is worth noting that Richarlison has entered the final two years of his contract at Tottenham. His contractual situation, combined with his lack of availability in the past couple of campaigns, means the South American cannot be relied upon for the long term in Frank’s project.
As a result, reputable Spurs podcast Lilywhite Rose owner John Wenham feels this summer is the right time to move Richarlison on.
“If you said to me that he’s going to be fit and available for all 50-plus games we will hopefully play next season, I’d say absolutely keep him around,” John Wenham exclusively told Tottenham News.
“But I’m also aware that history tells me you can’t do that. And at the times when, unfortunately, Dominic Solanke or whoever over the last year has been injured, we turn to the bench and he’s not there. For a variety of reasons, he’s not there.
“He’s only got two years left on his contract. Therefore, I think this summer is Tottenham’s last chance to move him on.”
Daniel Levy must push Richarlison to return to Brazil
If we look at the current roster, the north Londoners are well-stocked in attack despite Son’s exit. There is competition for spots and Frank can only rely on players who are robust and have top fitness levels, something Richarlison cannot be associated with.
The 28-year-old has seen his transfer value almost half since his move to Tottenham, but fans were stunned when reports from July suggested that Brazilian club Palmeiras were weighing up a big-money swoop for Richarlison. For now, no offer has been tabled but Daniel Levy must push the ex-Everton star to return to Brazil to reignite his career.