Richarlison Omitted from Tottenham's Squad as De Zerbi Emphasizes Hunger

Tottenham Hotspur’s Premier League squad list dropped with one name missing in bold: Richarlison.

The club’s top scorer last season, 11 goals in 32 league appearances, has been left in the cold. No registration. No role. A 29-year-old international forward suddenly stranded between contracts and dressing rooms.

Injured players made the cut. Simons is on the list. So is Odobert. Richarlison is not. His omission comes after a summer of noise from the Brazilian, who made it clear he wanted out. The club have now answered just as loudly.

Roberto De Zerbi did not try to dress it up. He also did not claim it as his call.

“It was not my decision. It is the normal decision,” the Tottenham head coach said, laying the responsibility at the player’s feet. “I think Richarlison, he decided everything alone. He spoke with me at the beginning of the pre-season and told me his idea and desire was to leave.

“At the end we go to bring another striker in and like I said at the beginning of the pre-season, I want to keep the players, just the players that want to stay and be proud and with the right passion to stay here.”

The message was blunt: if you’re not in, you’re out.

De Zerbi stressed that the final act – the paperwork, the registration, the formal exclusion – sits upstairs with the club hierarchy, not in his office.

“Then for everything and other problems, it is not my business and not my job. It is the responsibility of the club,” he said. “I can’t say nothing because I didn’t decide anything. The message of Richarlison from the beginning of the season has been very clear. I accepted that and for me there is nothing to say.”

The speed of Richarlison’s slide is striking. He started the opening league game of the campaign against Brentford, leading the line and still carrying the status of last season’s main goal threat. Within weeks, the landscape changed.

Omar Marmoush arrived from Manchester City. Mykhailo Mudryk came in on loan from Chelsea. Savio joined from City as well. Three fresh attacking options, three statements about the future. The competition grew, and Richarlison’s place shrank.

De Zerbi’s stance has been consistent since he walked through the door: harmony over hierarchy, hunger over reputation. He wants players who fight for minutes, not microphones.

“If you don’t want to stay here, I don’t want to keep talking in the press conference. Go out – you have the freedom to go out,” he said. “If you don’t want to stay, why do we have to keep you on the list? Why do you have to stay?

“I’m not Vinai, I’m not the sporting director, I am the coach and I would like to work with the people hungry if they don’t play but happy to stay in this club.”

Tottenham have nailed their colours to that idea. Richarlison has nailed his to another. One of them now watches this Premier League season from the outside.