Richarlison’s Tottenham Exit Gets Fresh Boost As FIFA Precedent Emerges
Richarlison’s difficult situation at Tottenham has taken another turn after Roberto De Zerbi left the Brazilian out of the club’s Premier League squad and indicated that he is not part of his plans.
The situation has become even more complicated following Tottenham’s League Cup elimination. With Spurs also absent from European competition, Richarlison now appears to have no realistic opportunity to play competitive football until the FA Cup gets underway in January.
Ironically, being completely frozen out could strengthen Richarlison’s case if he decides to pursue a legal departure from the club.
Brazilian outlet Globo Esporte spoke to sports lawyer Eduardo Carlezzo, who explained that FIFA’s Football Tribunal can, in certain circumstances, allow a player to terminate his contract with “just cause” when a club fails to register him for competition.
Carlezzo did not predict whether Richarlison would win such a case, but pointed to previous situations involving players who were excluded from competitive football and restricted to reserve-team training. According to him, both FIFA and the Court of Arbitration for Sport have previously ruled in favour of players in comparable circumstances, allowing them to leave and join other clubs.
That does not mean Richarlison is guaranteed a similar outcome. However, those previous cases could provide his representatives with an important legal precedent if Tottenham refuse to negotiate his departure.
Previously, there was at least a possibility that Richarlison could feature in domestic cup competitions despite being left out of the Premier League squad. But Tottenham’s League Cup exit has removed that option for now, while the FA Cup does not begin until January.
Even if De Zerbi changes his mind—or Tottenham appoint a new manager—Richarlison would still be unable to return to Premier League action before the January transfer window because of his current registration situation.
For now, Richarlison reportedly appears to prefer reaching an agreement with Tottenham rather than taking the matter to FIFA. An amicable solution would be the simplest outcome for both sides, although previous efforts to arrange his departure have failed and Spurs have yet to indicate that they are prepared to let him leave easily.
There is also an interesting connection to De Zerbi’s previous managerial history. During his time at Marseille, he was reportedly involved in a situation where Amir Murillo was told he would be sold following a Champions League defeat. The incident allegedly caused tension within the dressing room, with Murillo threatening to leave before De Zerbi was dismissed around ten days later.
Richarlison’s situation is different, and any legal outcome would depend heavily on the specific terms of his contract and registration status.
However, with no competitive football seemingly available to him until January and previous FIFA and CAS cases potentially offering a precedent, pressure could continue to grow on Tottenham to find a solution.
