Richarlison Expresses Anger Over Tottenham Omission

Richarlison has gone public with his anger after being left out of Tottenham’s squad for Tuesday night’s Carabao Cup tie against Liverpool, throwing fresh fuel on an already uneasy situation in north London.

The Brazil forward posted a screenshot of a social media graphic highlighting his omission and added a single-word caption: “Why?” followed by a tearful, sad-faced emoji. One word, one emoji, and a clear message – he is not happy with Roberto De Zerbi’s call.

This latest flashpoint comes just days after a proposed move back to Brazil collapsed. Vasco da Gama pushed to take the 29-year-old home, and sources indicated a fee had been agreed between the clubs. The deal stalled on personal terms, though, and with the Brazilian transfer window closing on Friday, the move died on the table.

So Richarlison stayed. But he did not play.

De Zerbi, speaking in his pre-match press conference on Monday, laid out his version of the story. The Italian insisted he had tried hard to keep the striker when the season began.

“At the start of this season, I spoke to him many times to convince him to stay and he didn't want to,” De Zerbi said. “I can't go every day to pray for him to stay.

“What I have done at the beginning of this season has been to speak with him and to propose an extension of the contract. If he said, 'no thank you,' I finished my job.”

Those are not the words of a manager desperate to mend fences. They sound like a line being drawn.

De Zerbi also hinted at deeper tensions behind the scenes, but stopped short of revealing details.

“I know what happened in the last 45 days. It's not right if I explained. It's not my behaviour. The relationship, the problem is between the player and the club.”

That leaves Tottenham in an awkward spot. A high-profile forward, a manager making it clear he will not chase him, and a failed transfer with the window now shut in Brazil.

For Richarlison, who has already seen his role and status questioned in recent months, the next step is brutally simple: accept the situation and fight for a place under De Zerbi, or wait for the next window and the next escape route.