Tottenham Hotspur manager Roberto De Zerbi has defended his decision to leave Richarlison out of his plans after the Brazilian forward remained at the club following his failed move to Vasco da Gama.
De Zerbi made it clear that Richarlison’s continued presence in the squad does not mean he will automatically return to action, insisting that the situation was discussed extensively before the season began.
The Tottenham boss revealed that he spoke with Richarlison on several occasions in an attempt to convince him to remain committed to the club. However, the forward ultimately chose not to continue with the team, leaving De Zerbi unwilling to repeatedly push him to change his mind.
Softfootball reports that De Zerbi has also confirmed Richarlison will not play despite his failed move to Vasco da Gama, meaning the striker is set to remain on the sidelines rather than feature for Tottenham.
The manager also pointed to Tottenham’s recent struggles as evidence that Richarlison’s presence did not guarantee positive results. Spurs suffered a heavy defeat against Brentford earlier in the campaign with the Brazilian involved, reinforcing De Zerbi’s argument that the team’s problems cannot simply be solved by bringing one player back into the lineup.
Richarlison’s situation has therefore become increasingly complicated. While he remains contracted to Tottenham, his failure to secure a move away has left him outside De Zerbi’s immediate plans.
The decision could have further implications for the forward’s future, particularly with Tottenham looking to improve their performances after a difficult opening period.
For now, De Zerbi appears determined to focus on players fully committed to his plans, while Richarlison faces an uncertain period at the club following the collapse of his proposed move to Vasco da Gama.
