Tottenham Hotspur forward Richarlison has publicly supported comments criticising manager Roberto De Zerbi, adding to the tension surrounding his absence from the club’s first-team squad.
The 29-year-old Brazilian shared remarks made by former Everton striker Duncan Ferguson on his Instagram story, agreeing with Ferguson’s assessment of the circumstances surrounding his exclusion.
Ferguson had questioned why Tottenham would leave a player of Richarlison’s ability out of the squad, suggesting that a serious confrontation would normally be required to justify such a decision.
“You don’t leave a player like that out unless there’s been a real murder: he’s chinned him or there’s been a proper scrap on the training ground,” Ferguson said during an appearance on The Overlap Daily.
Richarlison reposted the comments with the message: “Thanks Duncan Ferguson, you are right.”
Brazilian Remains Outside Tottenham’s First-Team Plans
Richarlison had been expected to leave Tottenham during the summer transfer window after appearing to fall out with De Zerbi.
The Spurs manager previously claimed that the striker had said too many times that he wanted to leave the club. However, a transfer did not materialise, and Richarlison has since remained outside the first-team squad.
His absence comes as Tottenham struggle in the Premier League, having scored only three goals in six matches.
Ferguson previously worked as a coach and twice served as Everton’s interim manager during Richarlison’s four-year spell at the Merseyside club.
De Zerbi Refuses to Discuss Richarlison Further
De Zerbi was asked about Richarlison’s latest social media activity during a pre-match press conference ahead of Tottenham’s Monday fixture against Coventry.
The manager distanced himself from the situation, saying decisions about the forward should be discussed with chief executive Vinai Venkatesham or technical director Johan Lange.
De Zerbi said he had not made the decision concerning Richarlison’s situation and maintained that he remained available if the Brazilian wanted to speak with him.
He added that Richarlison could find him in his office until 8.30pm but said he did not want to discuss the matter further because his attention was on the Coventry match.
Richarlison Previously Posted Training Videos After Villa Defeat
The Brazilian’s latest post follows another social media update after Tottenham’s 3-2 defeat against Aston Villa last month.
Within hours of that match, Richarlison shared videos showing himself completing training drills and sprint exercises.
He captioned one video, “The focus remains,” while another included the message “35.4km/h – I broke my record,” referring to his sprint speed.
The posts attracted attention amid questions about his position at Tottenham and his continued absence from the first team.
Striker Returns to Action With Tottenham Under-21s
Richarlison made his first appearance since being excluded from the senior squad on Tuesday, playing for Tottenham’s Under-21 side against Cheltenham Town in the EFL Trophy.
He scored Tottenham’s equaliser against the League Two team, before also converting his penalty in the shoot-out.
The match finished 2-2 after normal time, with Cheltenham winning the penalty shoot-out 7-6.
Following the game, Richarlison expressed his happiness at returning to competitive action.
“Happy to do what I love most in life. I was missing it!” he wrote on social media.
Richarlison Faces Extended Absence From First-Team Football
Richarlison is expected to remain without first-team football until January because he is not included in Tottenham’s Premier League squad.
The club’s elimination from the Carabao Cup has also reduced his opportunities to feature in senior competitive matches before then.
His appearance for the Under-21 side against Cheltenham provided an opportunity to return to the pitch while his first-team situation remains unresolved.
Cheltenham Manager Praises Richarlison’s Attitude
Cheltenham manager Steve Cotterill praised the Brazilian’s conduct during Tuesday’s match, saying he had shown a positive attitude despite playing against a League Two side rather than in front of Tottenham’s usual crowds.
Cotterill said Richarlison could have approached the fixture without much interest, given his experience of playing before large Premier League audiences, but instead performed professionally.
He described the striker’s attitude as “absolutely first class” and said it had been a positive experience for Cheltenham’s players to face a footballer of his stature.
Richarlison’s future at Tottenham remains uncertain as his public support for Ferguson’s criticism adds another development to the ongoing situation between the forward and De Zerbi.
