Richarlison Approaches FIFA to Terminate Tottenham Contract After Premier League Squad Exclusion

Richarlison has approached FIFA in an attempt to terminate his Tottenham Hotspur contract after being excluded from the club’s 25-man Premier League squad for the 2026-27 season, according to multiple reports published on September 10, 2026. The Brazilian forward, who joined Spurs from Everton for a reported £60 million in July 2022, finds himself in an escalating standoff with the north London club over the remaining nine months of his deal, with Tottenham refusing to release him for free and Richarlison pushing for an immediate exit.

The dispute marks one of the most acrimonious player-club fallouts in recent Premier League history, involving a rejected contract extension, a collapsed return to Everton, a failed move to Trabzonspor, and now a formal approach to football’s world governing body. With the Saudi Arabian transfer window open until October 12, Richarlison’s next destination remains uncertain — but his time at Tottenham appears definitively over.

How the Dispute Reached FIFA

According to a report by Football Transfers published on September 10, Richarlison has approached FIFA in an attempt to terminate his contract unilaterally after exhausting other avenues to leave Tottenham. The 29-year-old has one year remaining on his deal, which runs until June 30, 2027, and while he could walk away as a free agent next summer, he wants to leave immediately.

The BBC reported on September 10 that the two parties are in a formal dispute over the remaining nine months of the contract. Tottenham are not considering a free release and are unwilling to negotiate a straightforward settlement, the BBC said. The club also holds a 12-month extension option that could theoretically keep Richarlison under contract until June 2028, further complicating the Brazilian’s attempts to force an exit.

Under FIFA’s Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players, a player can attempt to terminate a contract for “just cause” — but if FIFA determines there was no just cause, the player faces potential sporting sanctions and may owe compensation to the club. Contract disputes of this nature are decided on a case-by-case basis, and the outcome depends on the specific terms, timing, and circumstances of the breakdown.

De Zerbi Reveals Richarlison Rejected Contract Extension

Tottenham head coach Roberto De Zerbi has spoken publicly about the situation on multiple occasions, revealing that the club tried to keep Richarlison before the relationship deteriorated. In a press conference reported by ESPN on September 4, De Zerbi said he personally offered Richarlison an extension at the start of preseason.

“I spoke with Richarlison and I asked him if he wanted to extend his contract because I was happy to keep him with us and he didn’t want,” De Zerbi told reporters at Tottenham’s Enfield training ground, according to ESPN.

De Zerbi also acknowledged the difficult position the standoff has created for the club. “I don’t know. I like him as a player and as a guy. He is unbelievable in terms of attitude and behaviour but, in the end, we have to respect what he wants to do,” the Italian coach said in a separate interview reported by the BBC.

In further comments reported by Sky Sports, De Zerbi grew visibly frustrated when pressed on the matter, questioning why the club would not simply sell a player who had made clear he wanted to leave. “Sometimes he says he wants to stay, sometimes he wants to leave,” De Zerbi said, according to the BBC’s coverage from earlier in the summer.

Excluded From Premier League Squad on September 3

The crisis escalated decisively on September 3, 2026, when Tottenham confirmed that Richarlison had been left out of their 25-man Premier League squad for the first half of the 2026-27 season. Multiple outlets, including ESPN and The Athletic, reported that the striker had been told before the Premier League transfer deadline on September 1 that he would not be included, giving him time to seek a move elsewhere.

The decision was communicated to the 29-year-old directly, with the club making clear that he was not part of De Zerbi’s plans going forward. Transfer insider Fabrizio Romano confirmed the exclusion on the social media platform X, amplifying the news globally. The omission means Richarlison is ineligible to play in any Premier League match for Tottenham this season, effectively leaving him in limbo unless a transfer to a league with an open window materializes.

Richarlison responded on Instagram, writing that “never again will anyone decide my future for me” and calling on Tottenham to show “respect” regarding his desire to leave, according to reports.

The Everton Return That Collapsed

The most promising exit route for Richarlison appeared to be a return to Everton, where he spent four seasons between 2018 and 2022 and scored 53 goals in 152 appearances. According to the BBC, Tottenham were in line to receive £35 million for the forward, but the deal fell through because Richarlison failed to agree personal terms with the Toffees.

The Hard Tackle reported on September 7 that Richarlison rejected the Everton move specifically because of the wages offered, with the club unable to match his current salary expectations. The collapse came just before the Premier League transfer deadline on September 1, leaving Richarlison stranded at a club that no longer wanted him and without the move he had been counting on.

It was a particularly bitter outcome given Richarlison’s emotional connection to Everton. He had been one of the club’s most important players during a turbulent period that included a battle against relegation, and his departure to Tottenham in 2022 was driven by ambition to play in the Champions League rather than any falling out with the Goodison Park faithful.

Trabzonspor Bid Rejected, Saudi Arabia Window Still Open

With the Everton deal dead, attention turned to Turkey, where Trabzonspor expressed strong interest in signing Richarlison. The Guardian reported on September 2 that Trabzonspor were weighing up a bid, and the player was said to have agreed personal terms in principle with the Turkish club.

Spurs Web reported that Tottenham rejected a £20 million bid from Trabzonspor, with the report adding that an improved offer was expected. However, the Turkish transfer window closed on the evening of September 5 without a deal being completed, ending another potential escape route.

The Saudi Arabian transfer window, which remains open until October 12, now represents the most realistic path for Richarlison to find a new club before January. Multiple outlets have reported that Saudi Pro League clubs have shown interest, though no specific club has been publicly named as a frontrunner. The Hard Tackle reported on September 6 that Tottenham were actively working on facilitating an exit to the Gulf, with the player reportedly open to the move.

The Financial Standoff: £3.5 Million at Stake

At the heart of the dispute is money. According to Flashscore, Richarlison is owed approximately £3.5 million on the remainder of his Tottenham contract, and the player could demand the full amount to leave north London. Tottenham, meanwhile, do not want to simply write off the remaining salary and let a player they paid £60 million for walk away without any return.

The club’s position is further complicated by the 12-month extension option in Richarlison’s contract. If triggered, this would keep him at Tottenham until June 2028 and potentially increase his leverage in any future negotiation — or alternatively, give Tottenham more time to find a buyer willing to pay a fee. Whether the club will actually exercise this option remains unclear, but its existence adds another layer of complexity to what has become a messy legal and sporting dispute.

FBRef lists Richarlison’s current weekly wages at £90,000, making him one of the higher earners at the club. With no prospect of playing and a contract that continues to pay out, the situation is financially draining for both parties — neither benefits from a prolonged standoff.

Richarlison’s Career at Tottenham: A £60 Million Gamble That Never Paid Off

Richarlison arrived at Tottenham in July 2022 as a marquee signing under Antonio Conte, with the £60 million fee reflecting his status as one of the Premier League’s most dynamic forwards during his time at Everton. The move was seen as a statement of intent by Spurs, who were looking to challenge for the title and compete in the Champions League.

But the reality never matched the expectation. In four seasons at the club, Richarlison has scored 32 goals and provided 15 assists in 134 appearances across all competitions, according to The Hard Tackle — a return that fell well short of the numbers he produced at Everton, where he averaged roughly a goal every three games.

Injuries played a significant role in his struggles. Richarlison missed extended periods through muscle problems and a knee issue that limited his availability in multiple seasons. When fit, he showed flashes of the explosive talent that had made him one of the most exciting Brazilian forwards in European football, but consistency eluded him in a Tottenham shirt.

Career statistics via FotMob and Transfermarkt. Figures cover all competitions.

From Nova Venécia to the Premier League: Richarlison’s Rise

Born Richarlison de Andrade on May 10, 1997, in Nova Venécia, a small city in the Brazilian state of Espírito Santo, the forward’s journey to English football’s top tier was anything but straightforward. He began his career at América Mineiro before moving to Fluminense, where he scored 19 goals in 67 appearances and caught the eye of European scouts.

Watford signed him in August 2017, and despite spending just one season at Vicarage Road, Richarlison made enough of an impression — five goals in 41 appearances — to attract interest from Everton, who paid an initial £35 million that could rise to £50 million with add-ons, according to multiple reports at the time.

At Everton, Richarlison became a talismanic figure. His 53 goals in 152 appearances included crucial strikes in relegation battles, and he earned a regular place in the Brazil national team, where he has won 54 caps and scored 20 goals according to FotMob. He made his senior debut for Brazil on September 8, 2018, and was part of the squad that competed at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, where he scored a memorable bicycle-kick goal against Serbia.

What Happens Next: The Three Possible Outcomes

The situation now has three realistic resolutions, none of which involves Richarlison playing for Tottenham again in the Premier League this season.

The first and most likely outcome is a move to Saudi Arabia before the October 12 deadline. Saudi Pro League clubs have the financial muscle to meet Richarlison’s wage demands, and Tottenham would likely accept a reduced fee rather than continuing to pay a player who cannot contribute to their season. Reports suggest the player is open to a move to the Gulf, which would provide a clean break for both sides.

The second possibility is that the FIFA route yields a result. If Richarlison can demonstrate “just cause” for terminating his contract — potentially arguing that being excluded from the squad while still under contract constitutes a breach by the club — he could be released as a free agent. However, such cases are notoriously difficult to win, and the process can take months, potentially leaving Richarlison without a club for an extended period.

The third scenario is a prolonged standoff until January 2027, when the winter transfer windows across Europe reopen and a wider range of clubs could bid for Richarlison. Brazilian club Vasco da Gama have been reported as interested by the BBC, which would represent a homecoming of sorts — but one that would require Richarlison to accept a significant pay cut from his current £90,000-per-week wages.

Wider Implications for Tottenham and De Zerbi

For Tottenham, the Richarlison saga is an uncomfortable reminder of the challenges facing clubs that invest heavily in players who do not deliver on their transfer fee. The £60 million spent on the Brazilian in 2022 was one of the largest outlays in Spurs’ history, and the return of 32 goals in four seasons represents poor value by any measure.

De Zerbi, who took charge of Tottenham ahead of the 2026-27 season, has shown a willingness to make ruthless decisions about his squad. The Richarlison exclusion follows a pattern of the Italian coach prioritizing players who are fully committed to his project over those whose minds are elsewhere. But the public nature of the dispute — and the fact that Tottenham were unable to move Richarlison on during the summer window despite multiple interested parties — raises questions about the club’s transfer strategy and negotiation approach.

The broader context is a Tottenham side that is attempting to rebuild under De Zerbi after a period of managerial instability. The club’s decision to hold firm on Richarlison’s valuation, reportedly rejecting a £20 million bid from Trabzonspor, suggests they believe they can extract a fee from a Saudi club. But if that gamble fails, they face the prospect of paying Richarlison’s wages for another nine months — or longer, if they trigger the extension option — while receiving nothing in return on the pitch.

The situation is being closely watched across the Premier League as a case study in how squad management and contract negotiations can go wrong. With clubs increasingly willing to omit unwanted players from their squads as a negotiating tactic, the outcome of Richarlison’s FIFA approach could set a significant precedent for future disputes between players and clubs over the final years of their contracts.

Sources

• report by Football Transfers published on September 10 — footballtransfers.com
• BBC reported on September 10 — bbc.co.uk
• Richarlison in talks with FIFA to terminate Spurs contract — livescore.com
• Richarlison considering legal action against Tottenham to try and cancel contract — nytimes.com
• Tottenham leave Richarlison out of Premier League squad … — espn.com

Photo: Wikimedia Commons, via Wikimedia Commons

Photo: Assembleia Legislativa do Espírito Santo, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons