Tottenham transfer news: Vasco da Gama director reveals details of failed Richarlison negotiations

The future of Richarlison at Tottenham Hotspur remains in limbo after a summer of failed transfer bids ended without resolution, and with the 29-year-old frozen out by manager Roberto De Zerbi, the situation looks unlikely to change before January.

Vasco da Gama were among the clubs who expressed a serious interest in bringing the Brazilian forward back to his homeland in the final stages of the summer window. The Rio de Janeiro club, for whom Richarlison is a lifelong supporter, worked swiftly to put together a deal. On Thursday, the club's sporting director Admar Lopes gave a detailed account of how negotiations broke down.

'In an initial phase, a loan was proposed by the player's entourage, and we quickly understood that would not be viable under the transfer regulations,' Lopes said. 'In a very short space of time — two or three days — we managed to secure financial backing for an alternative approach.'

The Premier League's rules prevent clubs outside England from taking players on loan during the Brazilian transfer window, which prompted Vasco to change tack and pursue a permanent deal instead. Despite working until the final day, they could not get Richarlison to agree.

'We tried everything,' Lopes said. 'We genuinely made a purchase offer, but what happened is that the player did not accept the terms of a permanent transfer. We tried until the last day, everything within our power to convince him, but the player refused and said it was not the right time to return to Brazil.'

This was not the only transfer that failed to materialise.

Earlier in the window, Richarlison had been in advanced discussions with Everton over a return to Merseyside, but personal terms could not be agreed between the player and his former club. Interest from Turkish side Trabzonspor also surfaced but came to nothing.

Left without a club move and excluded from Tottenham Hotspur's 25-man Premier League squad, Richarlison has been in attendance for recent Spurs fixtures — including the 0-0 draw with Everton — but has remained unused.

He didn't feature against Liverpool in the EFL Cup either, De Zerbi confirmed emphatically at his press conference. 'Richarlison will not play even if he is available,' the Spurs boss said. 'Not even in the Carabao Cup. No.'

De Zerbi has been unequivocal in his position. Having offered Richarlison a contract extension at the start of the season, he has made clear that responsibility for the situation lies elsewhere.

'You already know everything, nothing has changed for the Carabao Cup or the Premier League,' De Zerbi told reporters. 'The situation is the same. I know what happened in the last 45 days. It is not right if I explained. It is not my behaviour; it is the relationship, and the problem is between the player and the club.'

'At the start of this season, I spoke with him many times to convince him to stay, and he did not want to. I cannot go every day to pray for him to stay.'

When Fabrizio Romano shared De Zerbi's quotes on social media, Richarlison responded with a single word, 'Why?', accompanied by a tearful emoji.

De Zerbi also proposed a new contract for Richarlison at the beginning of the window but felt his options were exhausted when the player declined. '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.'

Richarlison's contract at Tottenham Hotspur runs until June 2027, meaning he faces the prospect of several months without competitive football. FIFA regulations do allow a player to seek legal release from a contract if a minimum number of appearances is not met, but Richarlison's preference is understood to be an amicable solution given his affection for the club.

January, when the international transfer window reopens, represents the most realistic opportunity for a resolution.

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