Tottenham Hotspur forward Richarlison is reportedly considering legal action to terminate his contract after being excluded from the club’s Premier League squad for the current season. The 29-year-old Brazilian, who finished as Tottenham’s top scorer last season, has been left out of manager Roberto De Zerbi’s 25-man roster and is now training separately from the first team.
Richarlison has not secured a transfer this summer despite being linked with a return to Everton in a potential swap deal involving Iliman Ndiaye, which ultimately collapsed. As a result, he has been relegated to playing with the Under-21s and faces limited playing opportunities. According to sources close to the player, he is frustrated with Tottenham’s stance and desires to have his contract terminated by mutual consent, allowing him to join Vasco da Gama in Brazil as a free agent. Tottenham’s transfer window for loan deals is closed, and the club reportedly has not received any acceptable permanent offers for the striker.
Legal advisors for Richarlison are reportedly examining FIFA’s regulations on the status and transfer of players, particularly Article 15, which allows contract termination for “sporting just cause.” This clause considers a player's limited usage during a season—typically featuring in fewer than 10 percent of matches—as grounds for unilaterally ending a contract. Tottenham have played four league matches so far this season, with Richarlison starting one and being an unused substitute in another, potentially qualifying him under this rule.
Roberto De Zerbi has publicly stated that Richarlison’s current situation is largely due to the player’s own decisions. The manager revealed that he offered the striker a contract extension at the start of the summer, which Richarlison declined. De Zerbi expressed that while Richarlison was an important figure during the last season and remains a good player and person, the club must respect players’ wishes if they want to leave. Tottenham have reinforced their attacking options this summer by signing Manchester City players Omar Marmoush and Savinho.
Richarlison joined Tottenham from Everton in 2022 for a reported fee of £60 million. Since then, he has scored 32 goals in 134 appearances, with 11 Premier League goals last season playing a key role in keeping Spurs in the top flight. Despite his contributions, the ongoing standoff has left him sidelined, prompting him to explore all possible avenues to end his contract prematurely and seek opportunities elsewhere before the season progresses further.