Tottenham Excludes Richarlison from Premier League Squad

Tottenham Hotspur have confirmed their official Premier League squad – and one name jumps off the page for its absence. Richarlison, last season’s top scorer, has been left out entirely.

The 29-year-old, who hit 11 goals in 32 league appearances last term, now sits in a kind of professional no-man’s land. Spurs found room for injured talents like Simons and Odobert, but not for a fit senior forward who started the opening game of the campaign at Brentford.

That tells its own story.

“He decided everything alone”

Roberto De Zerbi did not try to dress it up. Asked about the Brazilian’s omission, the Tottenham head coach was blunt about how the relationship had unravelled over the summer.

“It was not my decision. It is the normal decision,” the former Brighton and Marseille manager said. “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.”

From that moment, the path was set. Spurs moved in the market, brought in another striker, and De Zerbi doubled down on a clear principle: only players fully committed to the club would form part of his dressing room.

“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,” he explained.

The pressure on Richarlison’s place has been relentless. Omar Marmoush arrived from Manchester City. Mykhailo Mudryk came in on loan from Chelsea. Savio joined from City as well. Each signing nudged him further down the pecking order until there was no place left at all.

Club call, clear message

De Zerbi was careful to draw a line between his own stance on attitude and the formal act of leaving Richarlison off the Premier League list. That, he stressed, lies with the hierarchy.

“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 message, in De Zerbi’s eyes, was simple: the player wanted out. Once that was on the table, the coach saw no point in pretending otherwise.

No room for passengers

If there was any doubt about his philosophy, De Zerbi removed it with one of the most striking lines of his press conference.

“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?”

He made it clear where his job starts and ends.

“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 standard now at Tottenham: hunger over reputation, commitment over past goals.

For Richarlison, once central to the attack and now off the squad sheet altogether, the question is stark – where does he go next?