Tottenham’s €60 Million Man Dropped: Richarlison Left Out of Squad, Career at Risk

To be honest, Tottenham have spent heavily in the transfer market over the years, but the results have been difficult to describe. Fans watch the numbers on the accounts keep rising and feel frustrated. The money has been spent, but the team has not improved, creating a sense of helplessness that many understand.

Speaking of this, Richarlison has to be mentioned. In the summer of 2022, Tottenham spent €60 million to bring him from Everton. Many people applauded the deal at the time. A Brazilian forward, a regular World Cup player, with pace and physical impact, he looked like a good signing. But after several years, what happened?

Richarlison’s time at Tottenham can only be described in one word: difficult. Since joining, his form has been like a roller coaster, rising and falling without ever becoming consistent. Long periods without strong statistics have disappointed many Tottenham fans. You cannot simply say he lacks ability, but he has been unable to show it.

The new season has been even worse. Tottenham continued strengthening their attack during the summer window, with Savinho arriving and Mudryk also joining, with both names attracting attention. But what about Richarlison? In the coach’s eyes, he has become a marginal figure. The €60 million signing from years ago can no longer even secure a place on the bench.

Tottenham’s management had considered moving him on. Everton and Trabzonspor had reportedly made contact. But the question is who would take him? With his salary level and current sporting form, there are very few teams in the Premier League or across Europe that could accommodate him.

The situation now appears clearer. Richarlison has rejected a contract renewal, and head coach De Zerbi directly removed him from the Premier League squad list. The Brazilian forward’s Tottenham career has essentially reached its end. With his contract nearing expiration, reports of him leaving as a free agent have spread widely.

What does this mean? It means Tottenham’s investment is likely to become a major loss. A €60 million transfer fee, combined with several years of high wages, brought the total investment close to €80 million, and it may all be gone. The player leaves and the money is lost, a situation that football has a specific term to describe.

When discussing Tottenham’s failed signings, Ndombele cannot be ignored. The French midfielder, signed for €70 million, struggled after joining, with poor attitude and disappointing performances, eventually failing to find his form at Tottenham and leaving on a free transfer. Fans still have strong complaints when they mention him.

Richarlison’s development path now looks almost like a repeat of Ndombele’s story. From an expensive signing to becoming a burden, Tottenham have taken this road once and may be doing so again. Is this coincidence or inevitability? When a club repeatedly falls in the same place, is the problem in the evaluation system?

Personally, I think Tottenham’s recruitment approach has had problems in recent years. They have focused too much on players with big reputations and high potential while overlooking whether they are suitable. Richarlison’s technical characteristics do not fit Tottenham’s overall tactical system. What position he could play and what style suited him seem to have been issues the management did not fully consider at the time.

Looking at De Zerbi’s attitude after taking over, it has been very decisive. He directly excluded him from the squad list without leaving much room for sentiment. What does this show? It suggests that the coaching staff has given up on the player. It is not just that he has failed to perform; they simply no longer want to give him opportunities. Such a firm approach is actually uncommon in football.

I can understand the frustration of the fans. A star signed for such a large fee has fallen to this situation, and anyone would feel disappointed. Moreover, this issue affects not only sporting matters but also Tottenham’s finances. Paying high wages to a player who is barely involved with the team is difficult to justify financially.

Ultimately, the only option Tottenham have now may be to let him go. They should allow him to leave when his contract expires rather than expect to receive much of a transfer fee. The only consolation is that cutting losses in time is better than dragging things out. Keeping him would occupy a squad place and waste wage space, which benefits no one.

From Ndombele to Richarlison, how much tuition has Tottenham paid over the years? Looking at these cases together reveals one issue: Tottenham need to improve their recruitment evaluation. Choosing players based only on reputation does not work. They need to truly understand a player’s characteristics, personality and tactical fit, all of which are essential.

This incident also serves as a reminder to all fans: do not celebrate too early when seeing transfer news. In football, a transfer fee never represents guaranteed ability; performing well after arriving is what matters. Tottenham have suffered another setback this time, and hopefully they will learn from it next time.

That is all for today’s discussion. What do you think about Tottenham’s signing? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments.