Richarlison is set to leave Tottenham Hotspur, with Shabab Al Ahli Dubai making a late push to sign the Brazilian forward before the UAE Pro League transfer window closes on 28 September. After being left out of Tottenham's Premier League squad, Richarlison saw several possible moves in Europe and South America fall through. According to The Athletic, he is not eligible to play league matches for Tottenham until at least January.
Tottenham coach Roberto De Zerbi said he spoke with Richarlison 'many times' to convince him to stay, but confirmed that 'the situation is the same,' indicating no change in the player's status.
This summer has been frustrating for Richarlison. After being left out of Tottenham's league squad, he turned down a return to Everton and saw a move to Trabzonspor collapse. He also rejected an approach from Vasco da Gama. BBC Sport reports that Tottenham and Richarlison are now in a dispute over the remaining nine months of his contract.
BBC Sport has reported that Tottenham hold a 12-month option to extend Richarlison's contract, which could keep him at the club until the end of next season if exercised. Meanwhile, reporting from The Athletic and BBC indicates that Richarlison had also been linked with a move back to Everton, but Tottenham's squad decision has made a league return impossible for now.
For Tottenham, moving Richarlison on would close a chapter that never quite worked out. He arrived with high expectations but struggled to secure a regular place, and his exclusion from the squad this season made a transfer likely. The situation is similar to other recent squad reshuffles, such as Arsenal's sale of Gabriel Martinelli.
If the deal goes through, Richarlison would be one of the biggest names to join the UAE Pro League this summer. The move would reunite him with a coach who got the best out of him at the Olympics and could give both player and club a fresh start. With most transfer windows closed, Shabab Al Ahli Dubai's persistence may yet land them a major signing, while Tottenham's decision to move on reflects the hard choices now common in top-level football.
