Richarlison transfer update as Roberto De Zerbi confirms Tottenham exit wish | OneFootball

Brazilian asked to leave Spurs earlier in the summer but then rejected an offer before the transfer window closed

Roberto De Zerbi says Richarlison has always been clear with his desire to leave Tottenham amid talks over a move to Turkey.

Richarlison was left out of Spurs’ Premier League squad on Thursday after he was informed he was not part of De Zerbi’s plans this season.

De Zerbi had last weekend said Richarlison had expressed his desire to leave the club before the end of the English transfer window after leaving the 29-year-old out of Spurs’ matchday squad against Newcastle,

A protracted move to former club Everton, though, did not transpire, leaving Richarlison to take to social media to vent his frustrations at how negotiations had been handled.

Richarlison and Spurs are still working on an exit strategy, with interest in the Brazilian from Turkey.

Trabzonspor are in talks with Spurs and Richarlison, who is said to be keen on the move, but they are in a race against time with the Turkish transfer deadline closing later tonight.

On Richarlison’s future, De Zerbi said: "I don't know if there is an offer from Turkey. I don't know if the club accepted this offer. I know there was an offer before the end of the transfer market closed. And he didn't accept, but for me, nothing changed."

Richarlison was Spurs’ top goalscorer in all competitions last season, but De Zerbi has been clear all summer that if players want to leave the club, then they will be allowed to, so long as the deal suits all parties.

De Zerbi continued: “I think Richarlison, he decided everything alone. He spoke with me at the beginning of the pre-season. He told me his desire was to leave, and then we went to bring another striker.

“Like I said at the beginning of the pre-season, I want to keep the players. Just the players, they want to stay proud, with the right passion to stay here. And then for everything else, it's not my business, it's not my job, it's the responsibility of the club. I can't say nothing, because I didn't decide anything.

"The message of Richarlison from the beginning of this season has been very clear. I accepted that, and nothing. For me, nothing."

He added: "If you don’t want to stay, why we have to keep you on the list? Why you have to stay? I’m not Vinai [Venkatesham], 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.

“I’m just working for my club. The players if they don’t want to stay, it is not my problem. The price in the transfer market is not my problem. You have to speak with the club, but it is not right when the player wants to leave and the club don’t want to sell.”

When it was put to De Zerbi that Lucas Bergvall also asked to stay, but was named in the Premier League squad list, the Spurs manager confirmed: “Yes, but after 10 days in the pre-season, Lucas and his agent went to Johan Lange to say, ‘Lucas is happy to stay,’ and Lucas showed me he wanted to stay.