Richarlison Omitted from Tottenham Squad as De Zerbi Emphasizes Commitment
Tottenham Hotspur’s Premier League squad list dropped with one name missing in bold: Richarlison.
The 29-year-old, last season’s top scorer with 11 goals in 32 league appearances, has been left in the cold. No place in the squad. No way back in the short term. For a player who began the campaign as a starter at Brentford, it is a brutal comedown.
Others with problems made the cut. Injured pair Simons and Odobert are both registered, their long-term value to the club clearly protected. Richarlison, though, has been frozen out entirely after a summer spent pushing to leave.
De Zerbi distances himself – and points at Richarlison
Roberto De Zerbi did not try to sugarcoat the situation. He refused to claim the final call, but he made it clear where he believes the story really began.
“It was not my decision. It is the normal decision,” the Tottenham head coach said when asked about the omission. In his eyes, the forward effectively chose his own fate.
“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.”
That early conversation set the tone. From there, the club moved on.
New faces, new hierarchy
The transfer window underlined that shift. Omar Marmoush arrived from Manchester City, Mykhailo Mudryk came in on loan from Chelsea, and Savio joined from City as well. Each signing chipped away at Richarlison’s standing. The depth chart changed quickly. So did the manager’s options.
The Brazilian still started the opener against Brentford, a reminder of his status and reputation. But as the weeks passed and the squad reshaped, his influence faded. By the time the registration deadline came around, Tottenham had enough forwards who wanted to be there. His name became expendable.
Club call, not coach’s – but the message is clear
De Zerbi repeatedly stressed that the formal act of leaving Richarlison out belongs to the club’s hierarchy, not the dugout.
“Then for everything and other problems, it is not my business and not my job. It is the responsibility of the club. I can't say nothing because I didn't decide anything,” he said.
Yet he also underlined that there had been no mixed signals from the player.
“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.”
In other words: the club handled the paperwork, but the mood music was set long ago.
Only the ‘hungry’ survive
If there was any doubt about De Zerbi’s wider philosophy, he removed it with a blunt assessment of what he expects from his dressing room.
“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.”
That is the line in the sand. Talent alone is not enough. Commitment, attitude, and a willingness to fight for a place matter more to this manager than reputation or past numbers.
Richarlison now sits outside that circle, a high-profile casualty of a hard-edged approach. Tottenham move on with their new forwards and a clear message about what it takes to be part of De Zerbi’s project. The question is whether the Brazilian finds that hunger somewhere else – or watches this season unfold from the margins.
