Tottenham are considering paying off Richarlison’s contract to allow the out-of-favour striker to join Trabzonspor as a free agent.
Tottenham Hotspur are giving serious consideration to paying up the remainder of Richarlison’s contract to allow the out-of-favour Brazil international to leave the club as a free agent. As reported by talkSPORT via Transfer News Live on X, Turkish Super Lig outfit Trabzonspor remain strongly interested in securing the 29-year-old forward, but the transaction faces unique regulatory conditions following the close of the European transfer windows.
A critical factor governing any potential move to Turkey is that the standard transfer window in the Turkish Super Lig is now officially closed. Consequently, a traditional club-to-club transfer or standard loan agreement between Tottenham and Trabzonspor can no longer be processed or registered by FIFA guidelines.
As a result, Richarlison can only make the switch to Trabzonspor if Tottenham completely sever his contractual ties through a formal payoff, granting him immediate free agent status. Unattached players who hold free agent status following mutual termination are permitted to sign for clubs outside regular trading windows under specific league exception criteria, making a full contract buyout the sole viable mechanism for Trabzonspor to complete the deal.
Squad Omission and Financial Calculation for Spurs Hierarchy
The decision to explore paying off Richarlison’s lucrative deal comes directly on the heels of his high-profile omission from Tottenham’s official 25-man Premier League squad submission. With head coach Roberto De Zerbi filling all 17 permitted non-homegrown slots with alternative summer additions and core first-team players, the Brazilian striker was left ineligible to feature in domestic league matches until January at the earliest.
Following the dramatic collapse of his proposed £35 million return to Everton on Deadline Day, Spurs executive leadership now face a straightforward financial calculation. Retaining an unmotivated, unregistered player on significant weekly wages until the winter window opens risks disrupting locker room harmony during De Zerbi’s ongoing cultural rebuild. Paying up his remaining contract frees Tottenham from long-term financial commitments while granting the player an immediate route out of North London.
Richarlison arrived at Tottenham from Everton in the summer of 2022 for a transfer fee exceeding £50 million. Across four seasons in North London, the hard-working forward netted 27 goals in 102 appearances across all competitions. While he delivered memorable performances in European competition and crucial domestic fixtures, recurring muscle injuries and tactical shifts under successive managers prevented him from establishing consistent starting form.
With Roberto De Zerbi reshaping Tottenham’s attacking unit around summer arrivals like Omar Marmoush, Sávio, and loan signing Mykhailo Mudryk, Richarlison no longer features in the club’s tactical plans. A mutual release would allow the 29-year-old to rebuild his career at Trabzonspor, securing regular starting minutes in Turkey as he looks to regain his position in the Brazilian national team setup.
