Richarlison will not return to Tottenham’s squad for their EFL Cup clash against Liverpool, with manager Roberto De Zerbi confirming that the forward remains outside his current plans.
The Brazilian has been sidelined from Tottenham’s Premier League squad after making it known that he wanted to leave the North London club during the transfer window.
Several attempts to find him a new club ended without an agreement. A possible return to Everton fell through, while negotiations with Trabzonspor also failed. Richarlison later came close to joining Brazilian side Vasco da Gama on loan, but the move collapsed after he claimed Tottenham imposed a restriction on the proposed deal.
Although the striker was named among the substitutes for Tottenham’s 5-1 EFL Cup victory over Charlton Athletic, he was not introduced during the match.
Asked whether the situation could change against Liverpool, De Zerbi made it clear that the club’s position had remained unchanged.
“You already know everything,” De Zerbi said when asked about Richarlison’s potential involvement.
“Nothing changed for the Carabao Cup or Premier League. The situation is the same.
“I said in the last press conference, I know what happened in the last 45 days.
“It’s not right if I explained. It’s not my behaviour; it is the relationship, and the problem is [between] the player and the club. And I stay inside of the club.
“It’s coach and club together, because at the start of this season, I spoke with him many times to convince him to stay, and he didn’t want to. I can’t go every day to pray for him to stay.”
Richarlison was Tottenham’s highest scorer last season, registering 12 goals in all competitions, but his failed transfer attempts have left him on the sidelines.
De Zerbi also explained that he had personally tried to persuade the 29-year-old to remain at Tottenham and had discussed extending his contract.
“I can’t say anything more because it’s not my job,” De Zerbi added
“I can answer about the results, the players in the squad, the offensive space, the defensive space, but not for the other things.
“What I’ve done, at the beginning of this season, was to speak with him and to propose an extension of the contract. If he said no, thank you, I have finished my job.”
