Richarlison has made it clear to Roberto De Zerbi that he wants to leave Tottenham.
Tottenham Hotspur’s signing of Iliman Ndiaye was reported to be contingent on Richarlison agreeing to a move to Everton, but the deal eventually fell through. Manchester City have swooped in and hijacked a deal to sign Ndiaye after they failed to sign Liverpool star Cody Gakpo.
Richarlison has requested head coach Roberto De Zerbi to let him leave Spurs this summer. However, he has dominated the headlines over the past 24 hours and not for the right reasons.
The Brazilian international took to social media to slam the Spurs fans who criticised him for not greenlighting the move to Everton, which apparently led to Ndiaye’s failed move in the opposite direction, making it clear that he will not be pressured into making decisions that are not best for him. That has put Richarlison in an extremely tricky position at Tottenham, although all is not lost for him.
Everton exploring loan move for Richarlison
According to a report from TEAMtalk, Everton and Tottenham are now discussing a possibility of a loan deal for Richarlison. A temporary switch remains on the cards, but any deal will rest on who pays the Brazilian forward’s wages.
The Toffees have already committed to paying Manchester City winger Jack Grealish’s wages and are unwilling to cough up another big salary obligation before the transfer deadline. That would almost certainly require Spurs to cover a majority portion of the player’s wage packet, understood to be around £90,000 a week.
Richarlison is into the final year of his contract, but the North Londoners have an option to extend it by another 12 months. So, Spurs have leverage, and they will try to move the player on from their books, albeit temporarily. The Brazilian was left out of the squad against Newcastle United on Saturday after De Zerbi revealed the centre-forward had asked to leave “too many times”.
With only hours left for the transfer window to slam shut, Everton have to accelerate their plans to sign Richarlison on loan. A loan in which the Lilywhites cover most of his wages offers the most realistic route for both clubs to close out a deal before the deadline.
Richarlison spent the best years of his career with the Toffees, scoring several goals and producing many unforgettable moments. The South American star has always felt connected with the Everton fans, and a late return to the Blue half of Merseyside will represent a dream homecoming for him.