Richarlison, the striker Tottenham shelled out a massive £60m for, just scored in front of a couple hundred fans for the club’s under-21s team against Cheltenham Town, and he looked almost embarrassed to even celebrate it. This isn’t some side story, folks, because with just three goals, Spurs are the lowest scorers in the top-flight this season and are sitting second bottom in the table.
De Zerbi Points Fingers in the £60m Mess
Can you believe this guy was repping Brazil at the 2022 World Cup, rubbing shoulders with Neymar Jr and Vinicius Jr, less than four years ago? Now, he’s netting a thumping half-volley against a League Two outfit’s reserves. He even notched a penalty in a shootout, but his U21 squad still lost 7-6 after a 2-2 draw. This was only Richarlison’s second appearance all season, and his first since late August against Brentford. Why’s he playing with the kids? Because Tottenham left the 29-year-old Brazilian completely out of their 25-man Premier League squad back in September.
And the manager, Roberto de Zerbi? He’s straight up said the decision to omit Richarlison from the league roster “was not his.” Talk about a bombshell! De Zerbi said Richarlison “decided everything alone” and came to him at the start of pre-season with “his idea and desire was to leave.” The manager then basically said he only wants players “that want to stay and be proud and with the right passion to stay here.” For De Zerbi, it’s not his “business and not my job” and he added, “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].” What a mess!
Tottenham’s Attack Is Frozen, and Richarlison Is Left in the Cold
The truth is, Richarlison tried to bounce. On transfer deadline day, it looked like he was making an “idyllic return to Everton,” where he came from more than four years ago. But that move fell through. Later that same month, a proposed switch to Brazilian side Vasco da Gama also collapsed because Richarlison “failed to agree personal terms.” So now, he’s stuck, not even eligible for the Carabao Cup because he’s not registered in the league squad. His only real shot at competitive minutes before January? You guessed it, the EFL Trophy group stage.
Here’s the kicker, though: Tottenham is DESPERATE for goals. They’ve only scored three times in six Premier League games, making them the lowest scorers in the entire top-flight. And guess what? Richarlison was their 12-goal leading scorer just last season! It’s only six games into the new Premier League season, but you gotta wonder if Tottenham is already regretting that decision not to register him. Since arriving from Everton, he’s put up 27 top-flight goals in 103 appearances. They have a goal crisis, they’re second bottom in the table, and their £60m solution is playing in front of “a couple of hundred supporters.” This situation is just getting harder and harder to justify, and it’s not changing until January.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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