Tottenham Hotspur have been left frustrated by Richarlison’s refusal to accept a move to Vasco da Gama, with the Brazilian forward failing to reach an agreement over personal terms on a short-term contract.
Softfootball understands that Tottenham and Vasco had reached an agreement in principle over a deal worth around €20m (£17m, $23m) for the 29-year-old striker, who is no longer considered part of Roberto De Zerbi’s plans at the club.
The situation was already clear before the proposed move to Brazil, with Tottenham leaving Richarlison out of their Premier League squad for the 2026/27 season. As a result, the forward cannot feature for Spurs in the competition until January at the earliest.
However, his situation has now become even more complicated following the collapse of the Vasco transfer.
Richarlison was keen on returning to Brazil and was prepared to join Vasco, but his camp wanted the player to sign only a short-term contract running until January. The arrangement would have allowed him to reassess his options during the winter transfer window and decide on his next move.
Vasco were not prepared to accept those conditions.
Despite agreeing to invest around €20m in the transfer, the Brazilian club insisted that Richarlison commit to a contract of at least 18 months. The striker rejected those terms, ultimately preventing the transfer from being completed before the Brazilian transfer deadline.
The failed move represents another setback for a player whose future at Tottenham has become increasingly uncertain.
Richarlison’s difficult summer continues
Richarlison’s current predicament follows a frustrating summer in which several potential exits have failed to materialise.
The Brazilian rejected an opportunity to return to former club Everton earlier in the window. A proposed move to Turkish side Trabzonspor also collapsed on deadline day, leaving Tottenham unable to find a solution for a player who has fallen out of favour under De Zerbi.
With the Vasco opportunity now gone, Richarlison’s camp are exploring legal avenues in an attempt to bring his Tottenham contract to an early end.
The striker still has around 10 months remaining on his Spurs deal, but his representatives believe his workers’ rights are being denied by his current circumstances.
His camp have reportedly examined the case of fellow Brazilian Renan Lodi, who was able to cancel his contract with Al-Hilal last year after being left out of their squad. They are considering whether similar arguments could apply to Richarlison’s situation.
Tottenham, however, have shown no indication that they are willing to release the former Everton forward from his contract.
For now, the situation leaves both parties in a difficult position. Tottenham are unable to use Richarlison in the Premier League, while the player has seen multiple potential moves collapse after failing to agree terms with interested clubs.
Unless a legal solution or another transfer opportunity emerges, Richarlison faces an uncertain period at Tottenham with his future increasingly difficult to predict.
